Grialetsch Hut

The Grialetschhütte (also known as Chamanna da Grialetsch) is a mountain hut of the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC), owned by the SAC Davos Section and located in the Grialetsch area of the Swiss canton of Graubünden. It sits at 2,542 metres above sea level, south-east of Davos, between the Davos landscape and the Lower Engadine, with views into the Dischma valley. The hut offers 61 beds (plus a 20-bed winter room) and is staffed in the summer season from mid-June to mid-October and in the winter season from March to May. It is a starting point for the Kesch Trek, circular hikes, summit destinations, glacier and ski tours, and it has a climbing garden. It is suitable for families and is a stage point on the Bündner Haute Route. The hut was built in 1928 thanks to a donation from Otto Fischbacher, a textile merchant, collector and veteran member of the SAC St. Gallen Section. Until 31 October 2018 the hut belonged to the SAC St. Gallen Section; for various reasons it was decided to sell it to the SAC Davos Section. The Davos Section acquired the Grialetschhütte from the St. Gallen Section and planned a renovation and extension for 2021, adapting the popular destination for hikers, mountaineers and ski tourers to current guest needs and creating modern infrastructure for the hut warden. The name Grialetsch derives from the Latin word gregaricium for a sheep alp, a derivative of the Latin grex for herd. The hut is deliberately kept simple: there is consciously no internet connection and no mobile phone reception, encouraging guests to relax and enjoy the mountain environment. The hut team welcomes guests from late February to late April and from mid-June to mid-October. In 2026 the summer season runs from 13 June to 11 October. The hut also hosts events such as the Midsummer Climb & Boulder on 20/21 June 2026, with climbing, bouldering, grilling and chilling, and special guests from the JO Bernina, JO Unterengadin and JO Prättigau youth sections.

The Grialetschhütte was built in 1928 by the SAC St. Gallen Section, thanks to a donation from Otto Fischbacher, a textile merchant, collector and veteran member of the section. The architect Fritz Küpfer recorded the key dates of the new building in his construction report in December 1928: in October 1927 the building site was staked out and levelled; in November 1927 the monthly meeting of the SAC St. Gallen Section gave its approval; during the winter of 1927/28 detailed building plans were drawn up and quotations obtained; in April a contract was signed with the construction firm Künzli & Mai, Davos; on 25 June the carpentry and joinery work at the firm was inspected; on 28 July the ground-floor timber work was finished; on 18 August the topping-out ceremony marked the completion of the shell; and by the beginning of October the roofing and interior work were done. For transport from Dürrboden, three mules and two drivers from the Livigno valley were engaged, as there were no helicopters at the time: three times a day these animals climbed the many switchbacks to the pass with about 150 kg of load, costing 60 francs per day for all five. A crew and material barrack was first built about 200 m from the hut site; nearby, under an overhanging rock, a cauldron steamed with the most nourishing dishes in the largest quantities for the crew of 15 to 18 men. A large boulder in the middle of the building site was blasted and disappeared into the foundation and terrain masonry. Until 31 October 2018 the hut belonged to the SAC St. Gallen Section. For various reasons it was decided to sell it to the SAC Davos Section. The Davos Section acquired the Grialetschhütte from the St. Gallen Section and planned a renovation and extension for 2021, adapting the popular destination for hikers, mountaineers and ski tourers to current guest needs and creating modern infrastructure for the hut warden. The hut remains a staffed SAC hut with 61 beds (plus a 20-bed winter room), open in the summer season from mid-June to mid-October and in the winter season from March to May. It is a stage point on the Kesch Trek and the Bündner Haute Route, and a base for summit destinations such as Piz Grialetsch, Scalettahorn, Piz Sarsura, Piz Vadret, Radüner Rothorn and Flüela Schwarzhorn.

• Building site staked out and levelled.

• Approval by the monthly meeting of the SAC St. Gallen Section.

• Detailed building plans drawn up and quotations obtained.

• Contract signed with construction firm Künzli & Mai, Davos.

• Inspection of carpentry and joinery work at the construction firm.

• Ground-floor timber work finished.

• Topping-out ceremony; shell completed.

• Roofing and interior work completed.

• Grialetschhütte built thanks to a donation from Otto Fischbacher.

• Hut transferred from SAC St. Gallen Section to SAC Davos Section.

• Planned renovation and extension by the SAC Davos Section.

• Summer season 2026 begins (until 11 October 2026).

• Midsummer Climb & Boulder event on 20/21 June 2026.

A deliberately simple, off-grid SAC mountain hut in the Grialetsch area, positioned as a base for hiking, climbing, glacier and ski tours, and as a family-friendly stage on long-distance routes.

• Mountain hut accommodation

  61 beds plus a 20-bed winter room, with half-board and simple hut rules.

• Climbing garden

  A climbing garden at the hut, used for events such as the Midsummer Climb & Boulder.

• Ski tour and glacier tour base

  Starting point for ski tours and glacier tours in the Grialetsch area.

1. 1Grialetsch-Hütte SAC – Homegrialetsch.ch
2. 2Grialetsch-Hütte SAC – Geschichtegrialetsch.ch
3. 3Grialetschhütte – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
4. 4Grialetschhütte – Wikidatawikidata.org