ajt in response to: Winter nights in the Alps

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 18:59:02 +0000

I don’t know the Berchtesgaden area particularly well, but here’s some general advice: The amount of equipment you need depends a lot on the weather conditions. Sometimes in December there’s very little snow (especially if you’re not aiming to climb very high), and it is possible to go with normal hiking boots without snowshoes, skis or other special equipment. Warm enough clothes for temperatures below zero are necessary, as well as a good map, a compass and ability to use them. In addition to weather forecasts it’s a good idea to take a look at webcams to get an idea of the snow conditions. When there’s more snow, then it’s usually necessary to have snowshoes or skis. However, even more important is to get informed about safety. Avalanches are common in winter and especially steep slopes with a lot of snow are dangerous. You should either have someone in the group who has winter hiking experience or get detailed advice which routes are safe to go. A few of the huts in the Berchtesgadener area are open and staffed also during the winter season. These are of course the easiest possibility, because you can call the personnel, ask for advice about routes and be sure to have a place to sleep and everything you need up on the mountain. For huts which are closed, look for the following words: “Winterraum vorhanden". That means that there is a winter room. “Schlüssel für Winterraum: offen” means that the room is open and no key is needed. “Schlüssel für Winterraum: AV-Schloß” means that the room is locked and you need a key to open the door. Normally the same key is valid for all German and Austrian huts. Alpine club members can borrow the key in exchange for a money deposit. I’m not sure if it’s possible to get the key without being a member. When using a winter room, you’ll need to bring your own food. Normally there’s always a possibility to cook either with gas or wood, and a couple of pots, pans, plates and cups provided. I have stayed about 10-15 times in different winter rooms. One time there were no pots (but still a pan) and one time very little firewood, otherwise the facilities have been at least adequate. If you want to be 100% sure, you can of course take your own cooker. Both when staying in a staffed mountain hut or when staying in a winter room, you should take your own travel bed sheet ("Hüttenschlafsack” in German) with you. For a winter room stay, a sleeping bag may be more comfortable. There is usually always an oven to heat up the room in the evening, but during the night after the fire is out the temperature drops down quite a bit. All of the winter rooms I’ve been in have had blankets, but if many people come there’s a small risk that there are too few blankets to keep everyone warm. Alpine Club members have a discounted price when staying in mountain huts. Generally members pay about 7-10 euros per night per person and non-members about double. Winter room prices are usually 5-10 euros per night per person, with sometimes a separate fee for firewood or gas. Payment is in cash into a locked box (good to take some small banknotes with you) or by bank transfer. I would recommend you to visit the German Alpine Club Berlin office (http://www.dav-berlin.de/) to take a look - you can then make the decision yourselves if it’s worthwhile to join or not.

maz in response to: Winter nights in the Alps

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 21:05:32 +0000

Great article. I am an exchange student studying this semester in Berlin. I want to take a trip to Berchtesgaden for a weekend hike during the winter. I see the pictures of this place and it amazes me every time. I would like to stay in huts the two nights I am there. I want to know what the possibilities are like. Is it worth it for me to join the alp club? Can I go with minimalist gear or do I need to hit the outdoors store? I see the huts are closed using http://www.dav-huettensuche.de but I would love to take advantage of the winter stay option. I am looking to be there during december.

Julian in response to: Winter nights in the Alps

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 06:44:39 +0000

Nice Picture and article Arto. Keep enjoying spring.

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