Stripsenjochhaus


The Stripsenjochhaus is an Alpine club hut owned by the Kufstein branch of the Austrian Alpine Club in the Kaisergebirge mountain range in the Austrian state of Tyrol.

Location

The house lies on the Stripsenjoch which forms a bridge between the ridges of the Zahmer Kaiser and Wilder Kaiser at the head of the Kaiserbachtal and Kaisertal valleys at a height of 1,577 m. The Stripsenjochhaus therefore occupies a very central position and is often referred to as the turntable of the Kaisergebirge.

Facilities

With 100 beds and 60 dormitory places the Stripsenjochhaus is the largest hut in the Kaisergebirge and is fully staffed from mid-May to mid October. Although it is invariably busy in the summer, it is a good place to stay the night. Kev Reynolds's guide, Walking in Austria, describes it thus:
"Given good conditions the alpenglow which flushes the soaring backdrop mountain walls with hues of pink, scarlet and gold, will be among your richest memories."

History

The Stripsenjochhaus is one of the longest-standing Alpine club huts in the Northern Limestone Alps which "for decades, has acted as a base for the most popular and some of the most famous rock climbing mountains in the Alps." The origins of the house date back to planning carried out in 1899 and it was built in 1902 by the Kufstein section of the Austrian Alpine Club. The house was ceremonially opened in the early summer of 1902. Its first tenant to 1925 was Johann Tavonaro. In the 1950s and 60s the house was modified several times, renovated and extended. At that time the supply cableway from the Griesner Alm was built. In 2000 the house was damaged by a room fire and renovated the following year. The Stripsenjochhaus is now managed by the 2nd generation of the Fankhauser family from Ginzling in the Ziller valley.

Access

As a result of its location in the middle of the "Kaiser" the hut acts as a base for innumerable climbing opportunities at every grade of difficulty. Several important summit destinations include: