Martinsmadhütte

The Martinsmadhütte is a mountain hut run by the Swiss Alpine Club, Randen section, and is located at 2002 m above Elm in the canton of Glarus. Nestled between Zwölfihörnern, Laaxer Stöckli and Vorab, it stands in the middle of the Sardona Tectonic Arena, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The hut was opened in 1907 as the 100th SAC hut, in 1938 it was extended with a solid stone building and has since been carefully renovated. Today it offers around 40 beds in simple multi-bed rooms and is a typical summer hut. It is usually open all year round in July and August and at weekends in June and September; outside of these times, a small winter room is open. The hut serves as a base for high-altitude tours, alpine hikes, climbs and long-distance hiking trails such as Via Glaralpina and Segnes Trek. Half-board with a rich breakfast buffet and an evening meal with Glarus specialties, hearty dishes and homemade cakes are offered in the Stube. Children will enjoy the slackline, Tyrolienne, a nearby glacier stream and a small children's lounge. Access is usually from Elm through the Tschinglen gorge or by taking the shorter Tschinglen cable car to Tschinglenalp; from there, a marked mountain trail leads steeply up to the hut in around one and a half hours, partly secured with wire ropes. From Elm, the ascent via the gorge and alp takes around three and a half hours with a good 1000 meters of ascent. Alternatively, the ascent is possible via the Panixer Pass or from Flims/Brigels. The best time to visit is during the summer months from June to September. Current conditions, any closures and the weather forecast should be carefully checked before each tour.