when I arrived that September evening to be greeted by the guardian with a less-than-enthusiastic welcome. ‘There is no room,’ he growled. ‘We are full; no beds. You should have made a reservation.’
‘I don’t need a bed,’ I told him; ‘just a drink. That’s all.’
‘It will be dark before you are halfway down to Pontresina.’ His attitude was disdainful, and the look on his face spoke more than words. Taking the hint, I stooped to pick up my rucksack and slung it on my shoulder.
‘I’m not going down tonight,’ I said. ‘Forget the drink. I’m going up.’
He followed me to the door. ‘Where are you going?’ he demanded.
‘As I said, I’m going up. To the summit. That’s where I’ll spend the night.’
‘Zum Gipfel? There is no shelter on the summit!’ Then his voice softened. ‘Look, come back. I will find a space for you somewhere.’
But I was on my way then, and called over my shoulder: ‘I told you – I don’t need a bed. I have all I want on my back.’
All I heard then was an ill-tempered huff, the slamming of a door and the tapping of my own boots on rock.
It wasn’t long before I’d pitched my tent on the very summit and sat in its entrance to capture the sun sliding into a far horizon, relishing the moment as the snowy symmetrical perfection of Piz Palü blushed and outshone her more illustrious neighbours. It was one of the best of all sunsets.
What’s more, I had it all to myself.
Locate the warden/hut keeper, who will probably be found in the kitchen. Check in, and show your Alpine club membership or reciprocal rights card, if you have one, to claim a discount on your overnight fee. This is valid only in huts with reciprocal arrangements. (For more information on Alpine clubs, see Chapter 5). You don’t speak the language? Don’t worry; before you arrange your holiday, learn a few very basic phrases and you’ll be OK. Many wardens speak some English, but if they don’t, you’ll get by anyway. (The glossary in Appendix C lists a few key words.)
Now’s the time to order any meals required, including packed lunches for the following day, and make a note of when they’ll be served. The warden will probably outline any house rules, and may ask you to sign a visitors’ book (the Hut Book), which keeps a log of where you came from and where you’re going next day. You will be shown to your room and allocated bed space, the location of which – in climbers’ huts – may depend on the time you plan to leave in the morning. In huts where rucksacks are not allowed in the dormitories, you may be given a basket in which to keep overnight essentials. As the hut’s generator will be turned off after lights-out, don’t forget to keep a head torch handy in case you need to get up in the night or make an early departure. To avoid disturbing others, you should pack or unpack your rucksack outside the dorm.
It’s a good idea to keep a tally of food and drinks bought during your stay. In most huts, you will be asked to settle your bill the night before you leave, and as credit and debit cards are not accepted in all huts, you’d be advised to take plenty of ready cash with you.
At the majority of huts, a supply of ‘hut shoes’ will be found in the boot room or porch
A summary of hut conventions
Treat huts, hut keepers and fellow hut users with respect.
Wherever possible, reserve your accommodation in advance. Once booked, if your plans change for any reason, it is essential to phone the hut to cancel.
On arrival, leave boots, trekking poles and wet outer clothing in the boot room or porch. Select a pair of ‘hut shoes’ to wear indoors.
Locate the hut keeper to announce your arrival. Show your Alpine Club membership card or reciprocal rights card, if you have one, to claim a discount on overnight fees, and book meals and any packed lunches required for the next day. If you have dietary requirements, make these known as early as possible.
Once your room and bed space have been allocated, make your bed using a sheet sleeping bag. Keep a head torch handy, as the hut’s generator will usually be turned off after lights-out. Be considerate of others and avoid unnecessary noise in the dormitories.
While snacks and drinks are usually available during the day, meals are served at set times, and places at table are sometimes allocated by the hut keeper.
It is customary to pay for all services the night before leaving.
Before departure, leave your room tidy by folding blankets or duvets, and take all litter away with you.
Sleeping and eating
At most manned huts, something resembling a restaurant-style service will be available during the day, although a set menu is the norm for breakfast and the evening meal. The majority of hut users choose half-board (bed, breakfast and evening meal), which virtually guarantees a substantial three- or four-course dinner when you really need it. Mealtimes vary from hut to hut, but dinner is usually served between 6pm and 7.30pm. And what sort of meals might you expect? Well, perhaps not haute cuisine, except in its most literal sense, for the last thing you need after a long day in the hills is a large plate with minuscule portions of decorated artwork masquerading as a culinary treat. Mountain activities burn a lot of calories, so hut meals are usually planned with this in mind, with plenty of carbohydrate such as pasta being served. In huts owned by sections of the Austrian Alpine Club (Österreichischer Alpenverein, ÖAV), a choice of menu is sometimes given. In addition to the items listed, a relatively low-priced Bergsteigeressen (literally ‘mountaineer’s meal’) containing a minimum of 500 calories will be available to members of the ÖAV or its UK branch, the AAC. There’s no choice as to what goes in it though, and the contents vary considerably, so you do tend to take pot luck and hope for the best. But it will be filling.
Gathered round communal tables at mealtimes, hut users have a perfect opportunity to share experiences and route information, as at Refuge de la Flégère above Chamonix
Supplies for the Triglav Lakes Hut in Slovenia arrive on horseback
Outside Austria, it is rare for alpine huts to offer a choice of menu. Those who have ordered meals are usually served at large communal tables, with individual places allocated by the guardian. These mealtimes tend to be enjoyable and sometimes noisy occasions with an opportunity for visitors to get to know one another; when extra busy, two separate sittings may be needed. Jugs of drinking water are provided, and beer and wine are usually available.
The evening meal (dinner) invariably begins with a huge tureen of soup and chunks of bread, followed by the main course which is often based around spaghetti, rice, polenta (in Italy) or potatoes, with meat of one kind or another served with tinned vegetables. In Slovenia it could be a form of stew or goulash served with sauerkraut. In Switzerland you might have rösti (potato cakes) with a fried egg on top; or maybe raclette (melted cheese with potatoes boiled in their jackets). In French and Swiss huts, fresh salad or local cheeses often follow the
