Featured hut by Allan Hartley

Winnebachseehütte 2362m, Sellrain-Stubai Alps

Owner: DAV Sektion Hof

Location: Superbly situated on the outflow of Winnebachsee alpine lake overlooking the Winnebach waterfall.

Open: Summer: from mid-June to mid-October. Winter: end February to beginning May.

Facilities: 9 beds / 32 Matratzenlager / 12 Notlager in unlocked winter room. Good restaurant and toilet facilities, though it can feel a little cramped when the hut is full. Drying-boot room. Token operated showers.

Valley and Hut Connections: Nearest railway station is Ötztal, then bus to Längenfeld; then by mini-bus-taxi [taxi Wiety 0664 4455529] to Gries. Parking in Gries. 3h walk from Gries. Westfalenhaus via Winnebachjoch (2782m) 4h. Amberger Hütte via Gries 5h. Amberger Hütte via Gaislehnscharte (3052m) 7h. Schweinfurter Hütte 5h. Pforzheimer Hütte via Zwieselbachjoch (2970m) 6h.

Excursions: Strahlkogel (3295m) 5h; Breiter Grreskogel (3287m) 3h; Winnebacher WeiBkogel (318 m) 4h; Hoher Seeblaskogel (3235m) 3h; Gansekragen (2902 m) 1 5h; Larstigspitze (3173m) 4h; Bachfallenkopf (3176m) 3h; Gaißlehnkogel (3216m) 4h; Hohe Winnebachspitze (3155m) 4h; Putzenkarschneid (3120m) 6h; Kuhlenkarschneid (31 88m) 4h; Zwieselbachjoch (2.870 m).

Maps: AV 31/1 and 31/2; BEV 146; Freytag & Berndt WK 241 and 251.

Address: Michael Riml, Winnebachseehüutte A-6444 Längenfeld, Austria.

Tel (hut): 0043 (0) 5253 5197

Email: winnebachseehuette@aon.at

Web Site: www.winnebachseehuette.com

Named after the alpine tarn of Winnebachsee, this charming two storey hut with its robust stone walls is owned by the DAV Sektion Hof and has remained virtually unchanged since it was built.

Built by DAV Sektion Frankfurt around 1900 who saw an opportunity to build a hut on a "beautiful patch of alpine wilderness". lnitially with accommodation for 30 guests, this was soon expanded in 1903, then 1908 when Westfalenhaus opened, followed in 1912 by the Schweinfurter Hütte, that provided an early multi-day tour from Kuhtai to the Lusens- Praxmar valley. ln WWI the hut was ransacked and plundered. ln 1955 ownership of the hut was transferred to DAV Sektion Hof who set about refurbishing the hut.

At this time the family Riml from Längenfeld took on the task of managing the hut and have been there ever since. ln 1914 the Materialseilbahn was built alleviating the problem of finding men and horses to transport supplies to the hut. The hut was damaged by an avalanche in 1991, putting the hut out of action for a while. Thereafter the hut has enjoyed a steady growth in wealth and popularity, aided with a generous make-over in 2015 when the hallway, kitchen, dining room and bedrooms were tastefully refurbished. Work is not yet finished! The dining room is warm and pleasant and most visitors will relish sitting in its bright airy atmosphere enjoying a meal with the superb view of the Winnebach waterfall.

Located on the increasingly popular Sellrain Runde Tour (www.sellrainer-huettenrunde.at), if there was a competition for the best hut of the tour, Winnebachsee would be a worthy competitor as one of the most charming and colourful huts not just for the Sellrain Runde Tour but in the Stubai Alps as a whole.

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

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