Featured hut by Allan Hartley

Starkenburger Hütte 2237m, Stubai Alps

Owner: DAV Sektion Darmstadt-Starkenburg

Location: Situated on a rocky knoll above Neustift at the foot of the Hoher Burgqstall, with a tremendous view of the whole Iength of the Oberbergtal valley and the pinnacles of the Serleskamm opposite.

Open: Early June to early October.

Facilities: 30 beds /30 Matratzenlager / 6 Notlager in locked winter room (AV key). Excellent restaurant and toilet facilities with hot water on tap all day.

Valley and Hut Connections: Nearest train Fulpmes, nearest bus stop Fulpmes and Neustift. From Neustift or Fulpmes 3h. To Fulpmes by the Kreuzjoch-Schlick lift 2-3h. Franz Senn Hütte 7h, Adoplf Pichler Hütte 3h.

Excursions: Hoher Burgstall (2611m) 1 h; Gamskogel (2659m) 2 h.

Maps: AV 3115, BEV 147,148, Freytag & Berndt BL WK 241

Address: Karin and Martin Tanzer, Starkenburger Hütte, Dr- Rederer Strasse 18/1. A-6166 Fulpmes im Stubaital, Austria.

Telephone: ++43 (0) 503 5420; mobile ++43 (0) 664 5035420

Email: office@starkenburgerhuette.at or km.tanzer@gmx.at

Website: www.starkenburgerhuette.at

Named after the northern German fortress town of Starkenburg, a tiny hut was first built here in 1900 as a base for exploration of the limestone peaks of the Kalkkögel. Thereafter the hut was regularly enlarged 5 times, with internal renovation taking place in 2000 when the porch and new drying room were added.

Situated at the beginning or end of the Stubai Rucksack Route, the hut has a mixed message for its visitors. For those starting the tour the hut gives a warm welcome to a journey that may be fuelled with apprehension, whilst for those ending the tour, the hut provides a warm sense of achievement.

Apart from participants undertaking the Stubai Rucksack Route, the hut is extremely popular with day visitors from Neustift and Fulpmes, who are prepared to sweat 1300m to reach it and those taking the easier option by making use of the Kreuzjoch-Schlick cable car from Fulpmes.

This means that during the day the hut's terrace is likely to be packed on arrival but, once the sun has gone down, you will have the place to yourself. If you are lucky with the weather, the sunset and night sky from the hut are truly memorable.

The Starkenburger is a homely and friendly hut whose guardians, the Tanzer family, will often be seen fussing over their UK visitors to ensure they have as pleasant a stay as possible.

Source: Trekking in the Stubai Alps by Allan Hartley published by Cicerone Press.

Return to the top of this page, or to the complete Index, or to this section's Index.