Rotwandhaus

Rotwandhaus is a mountain hut and hospitality brand operated by the Turner-Alpen-Kränzchen section of the German Alpine Club (Deutscher Alpenverein). It sits at 1,737 metres above sea level in the Schlierseer Berge, part of the Mangfallgebirge south-east of Spitzingsee in the Bavarian Prealps, directly at the foot of the Rotwand. The hut is a popular destination for day visitors and overnight guests and serves as a base for numerous summer and winter tours in the region. The Rotwandhaus was built from May 1906 and inaugurated on 8 September 1907. Since then it has been repeatedly renovated and expanded. Today it is managed year-round and offers 69 overnight places in comfortable rooms and a mattress dormitory. Reservations are handled exclusively through the hut's online booking system. The current hut manager, Dominik Schumacher, welcomes guests on the sun terrace, in the guest rooms, and as overnight visitors. As a Schutzhütte (protected mountain hut) of the German Alpine Club, the Rotwandhaus combines hospitality with mountain safety and environmental responsibility. Its electricity network is operated entirely as an island system without connection to the public grid. Power is generated by a photovoltaic system, a rapeseed-oil combined heat and power unit, and a vertical-axis wind turbine with a Darrieus helix rotor and a rated output of 5 kW, newly built in 2014 to replace an earlier installation from the early 1990s. The hut also promotes climate-friendly travel: guests arriving by public transport can secure up to two free overnight stays under the "Freie Nacht fürs Klima" (Free Night for the Climate) initiative. The Rotwandhaus is accessible via several marked trails, including from Spitzingsee (Wurzhütte) in about 2.5 hours, from Spitzingsattel via Untere Schönfeldalm and Taubensteinsattel in about 3.5 hours, from Taubensteinsattel (Taubensteinbahn) in about 1.5 hours, from Spitzingsee-Straße to Valepp-Waitzinger Alm via Pfanngraben in 3–4 hours, and from Geitau or Osterhofen (railway station) via Soinsee in about 3.5 hours. It also serves as a crossing point for the Taubensteinhaus, Gufferthütte, and Brünnsteinhaus. Nearby summits include the Rotwand (1,884 m, 20 minutes), the Ruchenköpfe (1,805 m, 1 hour), and the Auerspitz (1,811 m, 30 minutes). As a brand, Rotwandhaus represents alpine hospitality, sustainability, and accessibility within the German Alpine Club network. Its official website provides current information, booking services, and details about the hut and its surroundings.

The Rotwandhaus was built starting in May 1906 and was inaugurated on 8 September 1907. It was established as a Schutzhütte (protected mountain hut) by the Turner-Alpen-Kränzchen section of the German Alpine Club (Deutscher Alpenverein). Since its inauguration, the hut has been repeatedly renovated and expanded to meet the needs of visitors and to improve its facilities. Over the decades, the Rotwandhaus developed into a popular destination for hikers, climbers, and winter sports enthusiasts in the Bavarian Prealps. Its location at 1,737 metres above sea level at the foot of the Rotwand, in the Schlierseer Berge within the Mangfallgebirge south-east of Spitzingsee, makes it a strategic base for numerous tours in both summer and winter. In the early 1990s, the hut's electricity supply was supported by a wind turbine. In 2014, a new vertical-axis wind turbine with a Darrieus helix rotor and a rated output of 5 kW was erected, replacing the earlier installation. The hut's power network operates entirely as an island system without connection to the public grid, relying on a photovoltaic system, a rapeseed-oil combined heat and power unit, and the wind turbine. In recent years, the Rotwandhaus has continued to operate year-round, offering 69 overnight places in comfortable rooms and a mattress dormitory. Reservations are handled exclusively through the online booking system. The hut also participates in sustainability initiatives, such as the "Freie Nacht fürs Klima" (Free Night for the Climate) program, which encourages guests to arrive by public transport and rewards them with up to two free overnight stays. The current hut manager, Dominik Schumacher, welcomes guests on the sun terrace, in the guest rooms, and as overnight visitors. The Rotwandhaus remains a key facility of the German Alpine Club, serving as a base for tours to nearby summits such as the Rotwand (1,884 m), the Ruchenköpfe (1,805 m), and the Auerspitz (1,811 m), and as a crossing point for the Taubensteinhaus, Gufferthütte, and Brünnsteinhaus.

• 2014

  New vertical-axis wind turbine with Darrieus helix rotor (5 kW) installed, replacing the earlier installation.

• 1990

  A wind turbine from the early 1990s supports the hut's power supply.

• 1907

  Rotwandhaus inaugurated on 8 September.

• 1906

  Construction of the Rotwandhaus begins in May.

A traditional, year-round German Alpine Club mountain hut combining hospitality, mountain safety, and renewable energy self-sufficiency in the Bavarian Prealps.

• Overnight accommodation

  69 overnight places in comfortable rooms and a mattress dormitory.

• Food and beverage service

  Guest rooms and sun terrace dining for day visitors and overnight guests.

• Alpine tour base

  Base for numerous summer and winter tours in the region, including nearby summits.

1. 1Rotwandhaus official websiterotwandhaus.de
2. 2Rotwandhaus - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Rotwandhaus - Wikidatawikidata.org