Do you want to sleep on a mountain? Then the Bertolhütte in Switzerland is just right for you!
At an altitude of 3,311 meters (10,863 feet) high above the glacier pass that bears its name, the Bertol Huette is undoubtedly one of the iconic huts along the Haute Route.
Ever since “The High-Level Route” was originally named by English hikers who first traversed it in the 1850s, it has become every alpinist’s dream trek. The Haute Route stretches some 200 kilometers across glaciers and mountain passes from Chamonix in France to Zermatt in Switzerland. Today it is a premier tourist destination that attracts all types of serious alpinists and enthusiasts alike.
The Bertolhütte belongs to a Swiss mountain hut system extended over the classic Haute Route. The Bertol hut is a common stop on the second day of a reverse ski tour going from Zermatt to Chamonix. This reverse direction offers certain advantages to ski tourers in terms of easier climbs and traverses.
The Bertolhütte rests on the Bertolpass with a view of the Mont Minè glacier to the east and part of the Valais Alps. The hut is maintained and operated by the Neuchatel Swiss Alpine Club and was originally built in Geneva before being reassembled at the mountaintop between 1896 and 1898. A major refurbishment was undertaken in 1976, in addition to a number of other conversions that took place en route. All in all it resembles a fairly modern (<50 years) apartment building on top of the mountain.
Before their departure, family managers Jean Georges and his nephew Jean Favre ran the Bertol hut for almost 75 years, spreading a storytelling, mountaineering-like atmosphere to match their beers, soups and variety of cakes.
That is no longer the case, and today’s hut offers its travelers a good selection of food and drink. So much that you don’t need to bring all your own supplies. Beer, wine – even schnapps – and a variety of foods and meals are available for sale and prepared for the many hikers, runners, ski tourers, and climbers who stay there.
Look at these pictures !!
“Sometimes you just have to work for it!‘ is a statement you’ll hear a lot from new visitors to the Bertolhütte. And this statement is not misleading if you look at the last climb to the hut. With another 129 meters of ladders and cables to reach the doorsteps, this is definitely not for the faint of heart!
However difficult the climb may or may not be, you will still have a hard time finding a single person who was dissatisfied with the views uncovered. Spectacular!!
Things worth knowing and worth knowing about the Bertolhütte
- They take reservations and actually they are recommended! !
- Do not wear shoes indoors! Keep them outside or on your shoe rack.
- Expect expensive with the compromise that you can also travel light.
- Carry all essential hand sanitizers with you.
- Offer to help with the washing up or even bring a piece of fresh fruit for the hut keepers!
- Bring a pair of earplugs…you won’t use them until you NEED them!
Reverie and relaxation in the common area. You never know who you might meet?
The accommodations are simple but functional with bunk beds and cots that can be reserved.
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