 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi there
Can I pick the hive's brains please?
I'm going on a tour in the silvretta in a few weeks' time:
* I gather some of the huts have showers - do I need to take a towell?
* I've heard some of the huts do not have slippers, do I need to take some?
* Lunch - Can I buys food to eat at lunch-time from the huts?
Thanks
B
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yes, you'll need a towel. I carry a microfibre towel when staying in huts. No where near as good as a real one but much, much smaller and lighter.
I've not been to Silvretta, but I think you are right, for some reason they don't all have slippers. You can take your own or use the inners from your ski boots. I tend to take those very flimsy ones you sometimes get in hotels and then bin them at the end of the trip. Crocs also work well but they don't pack down.
Food - every hut I've ever stayed in, even at high altitude, has offered picnics. Depending on your route and your plans you might well be near a hut at lunchtime, or even finishing the tour in the early afternoon so you might not always need this anyway. I'd take a few cereal bars for snacks if not taking lunch with me.
Don't forget other essentials for huts: Sheet sleeping bag, torch (preferably head torch), water bottle, flask if you feel like it (you'll always get hot water in a hut, it might for a few pennies but worth it), change of clothes for wearing in the hut, ear plugs, a good book.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 15-02-16 16:56; edited 1 time in total
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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For all the following you need your own towel, advisable to take your own slippers, My inners stink after a day of touring!
From memory some of the huts you pay for the shower with euros in the bathrooms
Most of the huts around the silvretta are more like alpine hotels, clean, well kept, stocked well with food / beer
Heidelberger Hutte - You can pay more for private rooms!, hot showers and picnics available. = http://www.heidelberger-huette.at/
Jamtal Hutte - You can pay more for private rooms!, hot showers and picnics available = http://www.jamtalhuette.at/english/
Weisbadner Hutte - Some small dorms available, hot showers and picnics available = http://www.wiesbadener-huette.com/
loverly romanian / slovak girls at this one,  . you will hear / get a lot of banter from them
Silvretta Hutte - Some small dorms available, more of an actual mountain hut than the previous 3.
Saarbrucker Hutte - Shut when we did the tour.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Great, thanks for all the advice
Do the huts take cards, or do I need to take plenty of cash?
Thanks again
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| blurty wrote: |
Great, thanks for all the advice
Do the huts take cards, or do I need to take plenty of cash?
Thanks again |
It *might* be different in Silvretta, but I've never seen a remote hut take bank cards. Check the hut websites, but unless you are 100% sure assume cash only.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks again
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| blurty wrote: |
| Thanks again |
No worries, have a great trip. I'm told it's a great place for touring, I must get around to going there one day.
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@sah, said
| Quote: |
| you'll always get hot water in a hut |
Take a few tea-bags too - particular favourite of mine is Peppermint t-bags: really thirst quenching and you can re-use them two or three times before ditching 'em 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We did a couple of side trips off the tour which were very good. One was the Piz Buin.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You may want to join the Austrian Alpine club as you will get a discount in some of the huts.
The Silvretta is incredible. Really easy and fun ski touring with easily accessible peaks. I loved it.
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You know it makes sense.
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Very happy memories of our five days touring in the Silvretta:
- Excellent touring terrain - fairly mellow but still lots of ups, some fantastic downs and some great summits.
- Lovely comfortable huts - the hot showers are such a bonus.
- Blue skies every day and powder on every descent...We were a bit spoilt!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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one quick question. do the huts take Euros? someone told me you need CHF, if so, do the ATMs in Austria dispense CHF, or do I need to find currency before i get to Austria. Or is a mixture of Euro and CHF? thanks
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Redwine, I guess it depends how often you'll be at huts in Switzerland?
The Silvretta range is mostly in Austria AFAIK, and there are plenty of huts in Austria within the range that you will 100% need Euros at. You can't get CHF from ATMs in Austria (though you can from a bank). I'd imagine any huts on the Swiss side are likely to accept Euros, but wouldn't bank on it...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Redwine, I've used huts in Switzerland that were close to the French border and Euros were fine there. Not sure that the exchange rate was the best, but it wasn't outrageous. If there are well know routes from Austria that go to a hut in CH then the same will apply. For a hut in central CH it might be different, but for anywhere you can get to in the Silvretta area I would be amazed if they don't take Euros.
I've not done a Silvretta tour, but I did spend a couple of hours tentatively planning one a couple of years ago, I'm pretty sure all the huts were in Austria anyway (Heidelbergerhutte, Jamtalhutte, Wiesbadenerhütte), although some routes did cross the border (or at least meet the border at summits).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Redwine, there are Swiss huts that may be visited as part of a tour of the Silvretta - the range straddles the border. I've been to Tuoihütte and Silvrettahütte (both SAC), both excellent and Tuoi in particular very lovely and worth a visit.
As @sah, observes, it is common for the Swiss to accept Euros (and indeed many other currencies!). I cannot recall whether or not these two SAC huts in particular accept Euro but would imagine their websites (or a quick email to the guardian) might help resolve this question.
Edited to add - Silvrettahütte website notes that they accept EUR payment, converted at a rate CHF1 = EUR1; Tuoihütte website states they accept CHF, EUR (no conversion rate noted), and credit cards.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thx for this post, very helpful. I got a towel, didn't expect to need that and it's not on the packing list. This is my first hut to hut expedition. I bot some small boot driers, as my feet sweat a bit, but are there actual places to plug appliances into? Also, is the sleeping sheet needed?, some of the hut pictures show bunks with blankets?
My tour is guided, for a week and they say we go between CH and AUT during the week. Since we start in Austria and I don't fly into CH, I guess I will load up with euros.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Redwine, Alpine hut-hut touring is great, and it's super to enjoy a relaxing afternoon (hopefully in the sun) drinking beer on a hut terrace following some awesome skiing. I'm sure you'll have a blast.
The key thing to maximise enjoyment, IMHO, is to pack light. I would take a microfibre towel - light, compact, and fast drying. A tiny one for huts with no showers, and a less tiny one for those with; the MSR ones are excellent. Despite being a sweaty chap, I've never had issues with boot liners failing to dry out - the drying facilities are usually good (and huts around Silvretta range will all be warm and cosy). Personally I'd leave the boot dryer behind - less weight on your back will make skinning and skiing more fun.
You will need the sleeping sheet. The idea is that this keeps the blankets clean, so the hut warden doesn't need to clean them so often. A silk sleeping bag liner is ideal - featherweight and tiny in your pack.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Redwine wrote: |
| Thx for this post, very helpful. I got a towel, didn't expect to need that and it's not on the packing list. This is my first hut to hut expedition. I bot some small boot driers, as my feet sweat a bit, but are there actual places to plug appliances into? Also, is the sleeping sheet needed?, some of the hut pictures show bunks with blankets? |
Most people just hang the stuff up in the boot drying room or the room they sleep in, there's often a dash for the radiators after the tour. While doing hut to hut I don't take a boot drier as it's too much extra weight but do take it when I'm staying in the same location.
The Schlafsack (Hutsack / Travelsheet) is mandatory, if you don't have one you have to buy one.
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Yep, agree with @Inboard, you really do want a sheet sleeping bag, the hut blankets are scratchy and you really are supposed to use a liner of some sort. I actually find cotton more comfortable than silk, but it's a lot heavier, silk is a pro choice
Also agree re: weight. Ditch anything that isn't essential. IMHO a good book is essential though, for the aforementioned lazy afternoons.
There *might* be electric outlets. I think some of the huts in the area are on mains power (hence the hot showers) so you may get lucky. Otherwise they only have solar (often used to heat water directly) and generator power used for lighting, radios and charging the warden's iPhone Usually it's fine to charge devices but unless they have a mains connection they would probably not be keen on anything else drawing power, and power is often turned off at night (hence the need for a small torch).
In case I've not mentioned it I am insanely jealous of you guys doing this, I really have to sort my life out and some proper hut tours. In my view hut to hut walks in the summer are an ideal summer holiday, so to combine it with skiing, with some of the best huts in the alps too is fantastic. Even if the weather is horrific you're stuck in the huts that are renowned for some of the best food and, I'm told, they have draught weissbier...
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@Redwine, pack light. One small tip, it can be chaotic in the mornings and sometimes dark, so mark all your stuff to avoid mix ups, including your boots!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Everyone. Thank goodness I found this thread, and thank you for all the great info. Apologies to the OP for hijacking it.
Please feel free to suggest anything at all, I'm very appreciative.
I think over 6 days we are only in 3 huts, or at least that was their tour last year. Heidelberger Hut, jamtal hut and Wiesbadner hut.
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Never forget to hang your skins up to dry (done that got the T-Shirt  )
Pack your stuff before the morning, as others have said take a head torch.
Take a plug with multiple USB outlets but have your name on it.
Consider a camelbak and drink a little often, add a little salt to the water.
Snacks to keep blood sugar levels up work for me (e.g. Peanut M&M's)
When you get back to the hut first get your stuff on the radiators / in the dry room (hang up those skins).
If you are going to drink beer then drink a little early on in the afternoon, change to water, juice or tea later on.
Get to bed early (8-9 pm), starts at 4-5 am are not uncommon especially in the warmer spring months.
In sunny weather apply sun cream to the underside of your nose.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just wanted to thank everyone for all the advice provided on touring. Just got back from Silvretta. Quite an experience and a mental and physical challenge. The snow could have been better but the views were incredible. Not a real mountaineer, but was able to summit a few peaks, which are a first for me. Not sure if a 6 day tour is too long for me, but I certainly have stories to tell.
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FAQ
the guy on the other side snored like a trooper (don't forget your ear plugs)
