Capanna Cadlimo

The Capanna Cadlimo is located at 2570 m on the watershed between Val Canaria and Val Cadlimo in the municipality of Quinto, in the middle of a lake landscape at the source of the Medels Rhine. The hut belongs to the Uto section of the Swiss Alpine Club and is manned during the summer season from around the end of June to around mid-October; in winter, a small emergency room remains open, which can be used by arrangement with the hut warden. Thanks to the sun terrace with views of the surrounding peaks and the many mountain lakes, it is a popular destination for day visitors, families and groups, as well as a stop-off point on longer crossings between the Gotthard, Lukmanier and Oberalp passes. From Lake Ritom or the Piora mountain station, the easiest ascent takes around 3 to 3.5 hours via Alpe di Tom and Bassa del Lago Scuro to the hut, covering around 800 meters in altitude on well-marked mountain trails. Other routes start in Airolo, at the Lukmanier Pass, at the Gotthard Pass and at the Oberalp Pass with walking times of between around 3.5 and over 6 hours, so that a variety of hut tours can be combined with the Maighelshütte, Vermigelhütte or Cadagnohütte. The hut offers half-board with dinner, overnight stay, breakfast and tea; during the day, simple hot and cold dishes are served from a small menu; vegetarian and vegan menus are available by prior arrangement. The beds are spread over several shared rooms, there are two cozy lounges, washrooms with showers and indoor toilets; water is drawn from a lake, electricity is mainly supplied by solar panels and a water turbine. A small dammed bathing lake right next to the hut, a nearby climbing wall and the variety of flowers and minerals in the surrounding area make for a varied stay. The original hut was opened in 1916; a new building was added later and renovations were carried out until 2018, resulting in a simple, modern mountain hut with lots of wood. As with all alpine tours, guests should check the current weather conditions, trail conditions and any closures before setting off and contact the hut warden if unsure.