Cabane de Tracuit

The Tracuit hut, officially Cabane de Tracuit, stands at 3256 m on a ridge high above Zinal in the Val d'Anniviers in the canton of Valais. The modern mountain hut of the SAC Chaussy section is located on the Tracuit Pass between Les Diablons and the Tête de Milon and offers an impressive panoramic view of the Weisshorn, Bishorn, Zinalrothorn and Dent Blanche. It is a central starting point for high-altitude tours to the Bishorn, the Weisshorn and other peaks, as well as a stage destination on multi-day hut tours such as the Haute Route Impériale. During the day, a small menu with simple hot and cold dishes and drinks is offered, while in the evening overnight guests can enjoy a half-board hut menu. During the unattended period, mountaineers can cater for themselves in the winter room. The normal ascent begins in the village of Zinal at around 1675 m. From the parking lot, the marked mountain trail first leads through forest and over alps, past Chiesso and Combautanna and on over the Col du Roc de la Vache, before the trail climbs over boulder terrain to the Tracuit Pass and the hut. Depending on your fitness level, the ascent takes around four and a half to five hours and involves a climb of around 1580 meters. Other high alpine crossings connect the Tracuit hut with the Turtmann hut, the Cabane Arpitettaz and the Cabane du Grand Mountet. The best time to visit is in spring during the ski touring season and in summer from around mid-June to the end of September for high-altitude tours and challenging mountain hikes; many use the hut as a base for climbing the Bishorn. Before each tour, you should always check the current conditions, possible road closures and the weather forecast and follow the instructions of the hut team and the SAC. The first hut was built in 1929 and extended in 1938, 1968 and 1981. A completely new hut was built between 2012 and 2013 and opened in June 2013; the old hut was demolished and its foundation walls now serve as a terrace and windbreak in front of the new Tracuit hut.