Ascent to the Becherhaus (3,195 m)

Besides mountain peaks, valleys, or mountain lakes, the Alps also boast numerous mountain huts that are worthwhile destinations for a hike or mountain tour in themselves. The Becherhaus in the Stubai Alps, the highest mountain hut in South Tyrol, certainly belongs among them, with its exposed location on the Becher summit and the associated 360-degree panoramic view.

The Becherhaus has a multifaceted history. It was opened in 1894, then still part of the Empire, as the Kaiserin-Elisabeth-Schutzhaus. Empress Elisabeth was even supposed to ascend to the hut for the opening. Unfortunately, this never happened, as she was assassinated shortly before. The hut’s own chapel is one of Italy’s highest Marian sanctuaries. Beyond that, the house breathes a special atmosphere thanks to the personality, commitment, and enthusiasm of the hut warden Erich Pichler and his family. Another exciting detail is his family descent from Andreas Hofer, the Austrian freedom fighter, who also hailed from the Passeier Valley. Numerous articles worth reading have been written about the hut warden and his special relationship with the house and the mountains, from GEO Saison (2003) to Welt, Spiegel Online (link + four more pictures) and many other publications.

In recent years, I’ve increasingly struggled with a fear of falling in the mountains; even objectively low-risk but exposed paths made me turn back or spoiled the fun of hiking. Therefore, the tour descriptions and impressive pictures of this high-alpine hut made me doubt whether I would enjoy this tour. However, since I was travelling in a group, had clearly addressed the situation, and all participants wanted to support me, this gave me the necessary confidence. Nevertheless, I had set the Teplitzer Hut (2,586 m) on the ascent route from the Ridnaun Valley as a mandatory goal; the Becherhaus was then the bonus.

The path from the Mining Museum in Maiern first leads through the impressive Burkhardsklamm gorge, past numerous waterfalls, to the high plateau of the Aglsbodenalm. At its end, the path climbs steeply again in numerous switchbacks and finally leads into a narrow valley shaped by glaciers, where you can first spot the destination of the hike on the Becher summit. Before that, the intermediate stop Teplitzer Hut and soon also the Grohmann Hut are visible. During the ascent, I wonder about a man with an unusually shaped, L-shaped backpack. I suspected a musical instrument, but the diameter was too small for a tuba. Perhaps a rifle; a hunter wouldn’t be unusual here. I wasn’t so wrong about an instrument later when he assembled an alphorn at the Teplitzer Hut and played music against the backdrop of the Übeltalferner.

After a hearty lunch and rested legs, I felt confident and strong enough for the onward journey to the Becherhaus. Over scree, rocks, and the first snowfields, we slowly ascended, interrupted by some rope-secured steep sections. Soon, Lake Vogelsee lay below us, and the final chord, the last summit ascent to the Becherhaus, lay ahead.

The sight of the somewhat more exposed path, where all critical sections are sufficiently secured with ropes, made me doubt again, but finally, I overcame my hesitation and reached the set goal, the Becherhaus at 3,195 m altitude, after 7 hours of walking. The strenuous but worthwhile ascent was to be followed by an impressive star-studded night and another eventful day in the mountains.