Mountain hut

A shelter, mountain hut or shelter, in Switzerland and in South Tyrol and Hospice, is a solid house or a hut in an otherwise undeveloped area that is used for protection against bad weather as well as overnight accommodation and as a base. Today, it is mainly built for hikers and climbers, but can also be used by different professional groups.

Refuges can be managed or uncultivated. However, some shelters do not offer overnight accommodation, many a winter space for unstaffed season. Comfortable equipped shelters have the status of a guest house (mountain inn mountain inn, Swiss mountain house).

Historical

The first shelters are believed to have originated in order to provide protection from storms to provide working and traveling people, located away from inhabited areas. This could, for example, shepherds, foresters, Mine miners, muleteers or surveyor. Shelters for shepherds, who are traveling with their flock, there are probably already since man keeps herds of animals. Typical shelters for this purpose, which are still in operation today, make huts, forest lodges, hunting lodges or mountain rescue stations and that

Since the time of the Roman Alpine crossings ( Roman roads ), but then again in the increasing travel and the long-distance trade of the Middle Ages, but also as a hostel for pilgrims on the way to Rome from the heartland of the Holy Roman Empire, are stations on the major passes on. They are called hospitales, as a medieval form of a body with pastoral care and cemetery (see Hospital) and were maintained primarily by monks and Christian institutions. Of this name, also guided not only the Swiss hospices on or near mountain passes, but also still existing places in the Alps such as Spital am Pyhrn, Spital am Semmering and Spittal an der Drau. Last but not least are those hospices also at the beginning of the development of the entire hospital system, as well as nursing homes, nursing homes and hospices.

With the progressive development of the Alps for economic purposes bases were established for different professional groups more frequently. Thus, for example, announced that in 1822 not only a survey marks, but also a stone hut was built as a shelter at the Styrian Grimmig.

The first shelters for the purposes of tourist bases were also built in mid -19th century. Due to the growing interest in high alpine excursions through the " townspeople " was recognized the need to offer this protection and food, and the alpine clubs built numerous refuges. This arose in the course of time until the second half of the 20th century about 1,300 shelters in the Alps, which today represent an important economic factor.

Alpine Club

Many shelters there, especially in the Alps, where they serve hikers, climbers and skiers as bases. These huts are often operated by Alpine clubs that serve the associated trail systems. But there are also many private shelters.

In other mountain ranges in the world refuges are much less common than in the Alps. Examples are the mountain chalets of the Giant Mountains, the lodges to the trekking routes in the Himalayas, the Andes, or the Rocky Mountains, in the mountain regions of New Zealand or Japan or the huts for the ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro. Due to the increasing international mountaineering and hiking arise tourist shelters in many other areas after the alpine models.

In New Zealand DoC and other organizations over a thousand cabins are usually entertained by the high quality.

Supply and environmental protection

Due to the often remote location of shelters that have no road connection to the supply, the food supply and the disposal of waste is expensive. Huts, which are not connected to a goods lift must be supplied by helicopter or by mule, mule or Haflinger. Increasing comfort needs of guests and an increased environmental awareness makes the operation of shelters costly, as, inter alia, solar and wind power plants or sewage treatment plants have been installed lately. To further promote the commitment to environmental protection, since 1997, the Eco-label for mountain huts is awarded.

Special forms

• The Alpine Club has 1300 Alpine Club huts, partially cultivated, are partly accessible to members with universal key.
• Small shelters (usually built prefabricated ) at high altitudes or near the high peaks are called bivouac.
• Self-catering cottages are cottages that are not farmed.

Terms of Use

Austria

There are regulations about the concept of shelter in § 111Vorlage: § / Maintenance / RIS search para 2, line 2 Industrial Code as " an easy- equipped operation, located in a public transport or only poorly connected area, and to the needs of mountaineers and hikers is turned off ". ( In the paragraph provides that the temporary accommodation, the provision of food of any kind and the sale of hot and damage done cold dishes, the serving of beverages and the sale of these beverages in unsealed vessels in this operation no formal qualifications for the hospitality industry needs, so the innkeeper must be a trained innkeeper. Category III huts, alpine inns, but usually already covered by the licensing requirement. )