Sweat instead of kerosene: how to supply mountain huts in an environmentally friendly way?

class=”sc-29f61514-0 fQbOYE”>

In the 2022 season, visitors to the Bietschhornhütte carried 1,200 kilograms of wood from the 1,400 meter climb to the cabin. I carried a modest seven kilos of wood as part of the first TragBar campaign in the summer of 2021.

This season, around 800 pounds of wood “wandered” into the shed outside of this campaign day. «Last season we built a wooden shelter for the Bietschhornhütte as part of the TragBar in Ried. In this way, all visitors coming to the hut during the season could easily carry wood to the hut. Academic Alpine Club in Bern, who started the TragBar campaign, write that we were surprised by the success of this simple measure and are very grateful to all who helped.

More wooden shelters

Encouraged by this success, they want to equip their Schmadri and Engelhorn cottages with such wooden shelters this summer. Together with SAC Oberaargau they realize the Engelhornhütte shelter in Rosenlaui. “This way, wood can also be transported on the road to Dossenhütte,” writes the responsible.

fifth time

The environmental officers at SAC Bern are already experienced: for the fifth time at the end of June, they arranged an annual supply hike to Gspaltenhornhütte. “We advertise the walking tour in our program and it is offered as a guided tour,” explains Ulrike Michiels, 57, SAC Bern Environment Vice President.

This means that each member can sign up for a different mountain tour so you can go to the Gspaltenhornhütte with a guide – you can not only dine at Alp Gamchi but also cut cheese, syrup and wood from the region. your backpack is full. “We’ve also been teaching little lessons about this supply increase for two years,” says Michiels. This year on glacial shrinkage. During the approximately three and a half hour walk up to the hut, tour guides stop at interesting points and show what the glacier has caused in nature.

Walk for three and a half hours

“There are participants involved in every supply increase,” Michiels says. At Alp Gamchi, 24 participants packed their backpacks this year – everyone from young people to retired hikers worked hard for the idea. And I did a lot for it: from the seasonal final stop in Griesalp, at an altitude of 1,408 meters above sea level, at about 1,100 meters, to Gspaltenhornhütte (about 3 1/2 hours of walking) and then back again in the evening.

Explaining the concept, Michiels says, “The hut says what it needs and we’ll take it from the alpine.” But you can also help outside of the ration hike: “The cottage keepers in Alp Gamchi always let you know what they need at the moment. So you can always take a break there and ask if you can take something with you».

toilet flush spare part

Anyone visiting Topalihutte can also help: St. Stop by the shop in Niklaus and ask what you can take with you to the cottage. If you walk to Gaulihütte, you can get your backpack stuffed at the unpackaged shop in Meiringen.

Medelser and Lobhorn cottages also offer the opportunity to easily bring something to the cottages. Many SAC lodges work with regional shops, so ask the club reservation desk if you can bring anything from the valley or alpine along the way.

It doesn’t have to be seven pounds of wood, either – the shed keeper is much happier with the lightweight replacement part for the broken toilet flush, as the case may be. In this way, a nice walk can be combined with something useful and encourages children to persevere in the cottage.

Source : Blick