Monte Rosa Hut

The Monte Rosa Hut is located at 2883 m on the Plattje rocky ridge above the Gorner and Grenz glaciers in the Monte Rosa massif near Zermatt and belongs to the Monte Rosa section of the Swiss Alpine Club. It was reopened in 2009 as a high-tech, largely energy self-sufficient hut and has since served as a modern base for high-altitude tours to Dufourspitze and other four-thousand-metre peaks in the Monte Rosa group. The classic approach begins in Zermatt, from where you take the Gornergratbahn to the Rotenboden station at 2815 meters. From there, an alpine-marked panoramic trail leads over moraines and the Gorner Glacier to the hut in around 3.5 to 4 hours, with an ascent of around 540 m and a descent of 470 m; crampons and rope protection are generally recommended for the glacier section. Alternatively, you can walk from Zermatt to Rotenboden in a good three and a half hours and only then change to the hut trail. The best time for hikers is the manned summer season from around mid-June to mid-September, while in spring, from around mid-March to mid-May, the hut is mainly used by ski tourers. Due to the glacier access and the rapidly changing conditions, you should obtain up-to-date information on the route, closures and weather before every tour and consult a mountain guide if you are unsure. The hut offers hospitality with simple, hearty mountain cuisine and half-board in the evenings, as well as a sun terrace with views of the Matterhorn, Gorner Glacier and the surrounding four-thousand-metre peaks. The first Monte Rosa hut was built in 1894-1895, was renovated in 1939/40 and finally replaced by today's striking new building, which was opened in 2009 and has since also served as a research object for pioneering energy and building technology.