Guggihütte

Guggihütte (Guggi Hut) is a mountain refuge operated by the Interlaken Section of the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC Sektion Interlaken). It stands at 2,791 metres above sea level on the north-east side of the Guggi Glacier, below the Mönch in the Bernese Alps, within the municipality of Lauterbrunnen. The hut was opened on 7 August 1910 and is named after the Guggi Glacier that lies beneath the Jungfraujoch. It is a classic high-alpine base for climbers and hikers in the Jungfrau region. The hut offers 24 sleeping places and is staffed on weekends from early or mid-June to the end of September; outside that period it remains accessible year-round, though without a warden. Access is on foot, either from Kleine Scheidegg or from the Eigergletscher station of the Jungfraubahn. From the Eigergletscher moraine the route becomes an alpine hiking trail, rated between T4+ and T5 on relevant websites. Hikers must cross a stream that can carry a lot of water depending on snowmelt, and negotiate several short but steep rock sections. In winter the approach is reserved for very experienced alpinists. From the hut, mountaineers climb through steep snow and ice to the Mönch. The Guggihütte is part of the SAC's network of mountain huts and is marketed through the Interlaken Section's website, which provides rules of behaviour, reservation information and access details in German, English and French. Reservations are required online, by e-mail or by telephone with the hut warden, and guests must bring a hut sleeping bag. Overnight and day guests are asked to register in the hut book and, when paying cash, to fill out the payment bag; visitors are also asked to carry their waste back down to the valley. An earlier 'old Guggihütte' stood at 2,380 metres, just above a rock band, and was in operation from 1874 to 1893. It was never popular with mountaineers, who complained that it was damp and icy well into the summer months; it was removed from the directories as early as 1889. The present hut, opened in 1910, replaced that unsatisfactory shelter and has served alpinists in the Mönch area for more than a century.

The Guggihütte takes its name from the Guggi Glacier, which lies below the Jungfraujoch; the hut stands on the glacier's north-east side. The first shelter, known as the old Guggihütte, was built at 2,380 metres, just above a rock band, and operated from 1874 to 1893. It was never popular with mountaineers, who complained that it was damp and icy well into the summer months. It was removed from the hut directories as early as 1889, before its formal closure. The present Guggihütte was opened on 7 August 1910 by the Interlaken Section of the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC Sektion Interlaken). It was built at 2,791 metres above sea level below the Mönch in the Bernese Alps, on the territory of Lauterbrunnen. The hut has 24 sleeping places and has served as a base for climbers heading to the Mönch and for hikers traversing the high routes of the Jungfrau region. Over the decades the hut has been integrated into the SAC's network of mountain huts, which are maintained by local sections and provide shelter, food and information for alpinists. The Interlaken Section manages the Guggihütte alongside other huts such as the Rottalhütte and Wintröschhütte. The section's website provides multilingual information (German, English, French) on access, reservations and rules of behaviour, reflecting the international character of the Jungfrau region's hiking and climbing public. The approach to the hut has remained a serious alpine undertaking. From Kleine Scheidegg or the Eigergletscher station of the Jungfraubahn, hikers follow trails that become an alpine hiking route from the Eigergletscher moraine, rated T4+ to T5. A stream crossing can be dangerous depending on snowmelt, and several short, steep rock steps must be climbed. In winter the access is reserved for very experienced alpinists. From the hut, mountaineers climb through steep snow and ice to reach the Mönch. The hut is staffed on weekends from early or mid-June to the end of September and remains open year-round otherwise, though unstaffed.

• 1910

  Present Guggihütte opened on 7 August by SAC Sektion Interlaken at 2,791 m.

• 1893

  Old Guggihütte ceases operation.

• 1889

  Old Guggihütte removed from hut directories.

• 1874

  Old Guggihütte at 2,380 m begins operation.

A traditional high-alpine SAC mountain hut in the Jungfrau region, serving mountaineers and hikers as a base for the Mönch and surrounding Bernese Alps routes.

• Mountain hut accommodation (24 sleeping places)

• Weekend warden service (early/mid-June to end of September)

• Year-round access (unstaffed outside summer weekends)

1. 1Guggihütte – SAC Sektion Interlakensac-interlaken.ch
2. 2Guggihütte – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Guggihütte – Wikidatawikidata.org