Hohenzollernhaus

The Hohenzollernhaus is a Category I mountain hut of the German Alpine Club (Deutscher Alpenverein, DAV), owned and operated by the DAV's Starnberg Section. It is situated at 2,123 metres above sea level in the Radurschltal valley, southeast of Pfunds in the Nauderer Berge range of the Ötztal Alps in Tyrol, Austria. The hut is named after the Hohenzollern Section of the German and Austrian Alpine Club (DuOeAV), which was founded in Berlin in 1905. Originally, the Hohenzollern Section intended to build a hut at the Kaiserjoch in the Kaunertal, but since the Frankfurt am Main Section had already done so, they chose the Radurschltal near Pfunds instead. Construction was completed quickly, and the hut opened on 3 August 1924, providing space for 20 mountaineers. It was first expanded in 1928. With the outbreak of World War II, overnight stays declined. After the German Alpine Club was banned in 1945, the Hohenzollernhaus fell under the trusteeship of the Austrian Alpine Club (OeAV). In 1954, an extraordinary meeting of the DAV took place in Starnberg to negotiate the future of the German huts administered by the OeAV. In 1956, these huts were returned to their former owners. In the mid-1960s, the Starnberg Section considered acquiring a high alpine hut, not just managing one but owning it. After lengthy negotiations, the Starnberg Section purchased the hut in 1978 from the Berlin Section. Over time, the Hohenzollernhaus has been repeatedly renovated: in 1984, the material cable car was refurbished and the former emergency shelter was converted into a room with 16 mattress spaces. In 1989, the Sepp-Feldmeier-Hütte was completed, housing the winter room for 10 people as well as economic and storage rooms in the basement. In 2003, a wastewater treatment plant and a small hydroelectric power station on the Radurschlbach were put into operation, supplying the Hohenzollernhaus entirely with self-generated electricity. In 2018, a new sewage treatment plant was built to comply with new laws. In 2022 and 2023, both the roof of the winter hut and the facade of the main building were renovated. In 2016, a debris flow caused by heavy rain above the Radurschlbach destroyed two cars parked at the valley station of the material cable car. In 2019, another debris flow from the direction of the Hüttekarferner above the upper Radurschltal dammed the Radurschlbach above the Hohenzollernhaus into a lake about the size of two football fields. To minimise the danger to the hut, the water level of the lake was partially lowered. Since then, the lake has become an attraction for visitors. In summer 2024, the 100th anniversary was celebrated. The hut is managed in summer and offers space for over 60 people. In winter, a freely accessible winter room for 10 people is available, which can also be used in summer if needed. The Hohenzollernhaus is a starting point for numerous high alpine tours, including the Glockturm (3,355 m), Nauderer Hennesiglspitze / Matscher Winkelspitze (3,042 m), Bruchkopf (3,013 m), Wildnörderer (3,011 m), Absatzkopf (2,640 m), Rotschragenspitze (3,113 m), Westlicher and Östlicher Hennesiglkopf (3,116 m), Hennesiglspitze (3,141 m), Westlicher, Mittlerer and Nördlicher Seekarkopf (3,060 m), Rifflkarspitze (3,219 m), Kaiserspitze (3,089 m), and Platzerspitze (3,098 m). Due to the risk of rockfall, the use of a helmet is recommended for some of these tours. The circular route Seekar Runde (called Starnberger Reib'n from 2005 to 2020) leads from the Hohenzollernhaus over the Radurschltal to the Seekarjoch (2,897 m), down into the Nauderer Tscheytal to the Zäunlaboden, and back around the Wildnörderer via the Berglboden to the Hohenzollernhaus, taking 7 to 8 hours. Other destinations include the Glockturmjoch with the Jochbuch (3,005 m). The hut is marked on the Alpine Club map sheet 30/4 Ötztaler Alpen - Nauderer Berge (1:25,000).

The Hohenzollernhaus is named after the Hohenzollern Section of the German and Austrian Alpine Club (DuOeAV), founded in Berlin in 1905. The section originally planned to build a hut at the Kaiserjoch in the Kaunertal, but the Frankfurt am Main Section had already built one there, so they chose the Radurschltal near Pfunds instead. The hut was opened on 3 August 1924 after a short construction period and offered space for 20 mountaineers. In 1928, it was expanded for the first time. With the outbreak of World War II, overnight stays declined. After the German Alpine Club was banned in 1945, the Hohenzollernhaus fell under the trusteeship of the Austrian Alpine Club (OeAV). In 1954, an extraordinary meeting of the DAV took place in Starnberg to negotiate the future of the German huts administered by the OeAV. In 1956, these huts were returned to their former owners. In the mid-1960s, the Starnberg Section considered acquiring a high alpine hut, wanting not only to manage it but also to own it. After lengthy negotiations, the Starnberg Section purchased the hut in 1978 from the Berlin Section. Over time, the Hohenzollernhaus was repeatedly renovated: in 1984, the material cable car was refurbished and the former emergency shelter was converted into a room with 16 mattress spaces. In 1989, the Sepp-Feldmeier-Hütte was completed, housing the winter room for 10 people as well as economic and storage rooms in the basement. In 2003, a wastewater treatment plant and a small hydroelectric power station on the Radurschlbach were put into operation, supplying the Hohenzollernhaus entirely with self-generated electricity. In 2018, a new sewage treatment plant was built to comply with new laws. In 2022 and 2023, both the roof of the winter hut and the facade of the main building were renovated. In 2016, a debris flow caused by heavy rain above the Radurschlbach destroyed two cars parked at the valley station of the material cable car. In 2019, another debris flow from the direction of the Hüttekarferner above the upper Radurschltal dammed the Radurschlbach above the Hohenzollernhaus into a lake about the size of two football fields. To minimise the danger to the hut, the water level of the lake was partially lowered. Since then, the lake has become an attraction for visitors. In summer 2024, the 100th anniversary was celebrated.

• 2024

  100th anniversary celebrated in summer.

• 2023

  Facade of the main building renovated.

• 2022

  Roof of the winter hut renovated.

• 2019

  Debris flow dammed the Radurschlbach into a lake about the size of two football fields; water level partially lowered.

• 2018

  New sewage treatment plant built to comply with new laws.

• 2016

  Debris flow caused by heavy rain destroyed two cars at the valley station of the material cable car.

• 2003

  Wastewater treatment plant and small hydroelectric power station on the Radurschlbach put into operation.

• 1989

  Sepp-Feldmeier-Hütte completed, housing winter room for 10 and basement storage.

• 1984

  Material cable car refurbished; former emergency shelter converted into a room with 16 mattress spaces.

• 1978

  Starnberg Section purchased the hut from the Berlin Section.

• 1956

  Huts returned to their former owners.

• 1954

  Extraordinary DAV meeting in Starnberg to negotiate future of German huts managed by OeAV.

• 1945

  German Alpine Club banned; hut placed under trusteeship of the Austrian Alpine Club.

• 1928

  First expansion of the hut.

• 1924

  Hohenzollernhaus opened on 3 August, offering space for 20 mountaineers.

• 1905

  Hohenzollern Section of the DuOeAV founded in Berlin.

Category I mountain hut of the German Alpine Club, offering accommodation and base for high alpine tours in the Ötztal Alps.

• Hohenzollernhaus main hut

  Category I mountain hut with over 60 beds in summer.

• Sepp-Feldmeier-Hütte

  Winter room for 10 people, completed in 1989.

• Seekar Runde

  Circular route from the hut over Seekarjoch, 7-8 hours.

1. 1Hohenzollernhaus - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
2. 2Hohenzollernhaus - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3DAV Starnberg - Hohenzollernhausdav-starnberg.de