Domhütte

The Domhütte is an alpine hut run by the Uto section of the Swiss Alpine Club at 2940 m in the Mischabel group, high above the village of Randa in Valais. It is mainly used as a starting point for climbing the Dom, the highest mountain in Switzerland, and other four-thousand-metre peaks in the Mischabel range. It is manned during the summer months from the end of June to mid-September; outside of this period, a simple winter room is available. During the manned season, overnight stays with half board are offered; dinner includes soup, salad, main course and dessert, and breakfast is also served. The hut offers a large dining room for around 75 guests, multi-bed rooms with comforters, a spacious entrance area as well as integrated washing and toilet facilities and a shower. A total of 75 beds are available, with nine simple dormitories in the winter room. The ascent begins at Randa railroad station at 1409 m and leads past the church across meadows to the village stream, continuing through larch forest and over boulder terrain to the steep Festiflüe, where wire ropes, iron pins and steps secure the exposed passages. Without the suspension bridge variant, the ascent takes around 4 hours 30 and covers an altitude difference of around 1530 meters. A visit is most worthwhile in the summer season, when the path and rock steps are largely free of snow; the hut is then used as a base for high tours to Dom, Täschhorn, Lenzspitze and the Nadelgrat as well as a challenging destination for experienced alpine hikers. Before each tour, current conditions, possible route closures and the weather forecast should be carefully checked. The first Domhütte, then known as the Festihütte, was built in 1890 by the Uto section and inaugurated by Pastor Josef Imboden. In the 1950s, a new building was constructed according to plans by architect Jakob Eschenmoser with a characteristic crystal-shaped floor plan. Between 2012 and 2013, the complex was extensively renovated and extended, leaving the historic stone building visible and creating a modern extension with improved comfort.