Rotstockhutte on trail from Murren to Griesalp

Has anyone stayed at the Rotstockhutte? This hut is on the trail from Murren to Griesalp. I also wonder about the trail itself after leaving the hut, it sounds like it might be a bit tricky.

I have not stayed at the hut but have stopped there for lunch/snacks many times en route from Murren to Griesalp. It is primitive, you can see a photo at http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2762066870070209734qJSlan. Dormitory style beds, pit toilets, no showers, etc -- in short, a typical hut. The soups are really good so I'm imagining that the evening meals are nice as well.

The trail up over the Sefinenfurgge pass (after leaving the hut) is steep, slippery skree, and there is quite a bit of exposure. The back side is also difficult but the recent addition of steps with a cable helps. This is not a hike for anyone that is afraid of heights or experiences vertigo. It's a long day from Murren to Griesalp so be prepared. The descent is quite long, I wouldn't want to do it without poles.

Thanks, Kim11. That's what I was afraid of! We might have to re-think this.We do want to experience at least one night in a hut with some nice hiking . We will be staying Murren and Lauterbrunnen for 7 nights total, doing more gentle dayhikes and sightseeing. Can you recommend another easier hike that would include an overnight at a hut? Also, where could we leave our suitcases for that night?

I guess the other question is, how necessary would it be to have reservations at a hut in early Sept. during the week.?

Another idea is to stay at the mountain hotel at Obersteinberg http://www.stechelberg.ch/de/gastro/bh_og.htm.

It's about a 2 - 2 1/2 hour walk up from Stechelberg and has lovely views. You could leave your bags at your hotel in Lauterbrunnen.

Yes I stayed at the hut. The hut is great and the food is good. The staff however does not seem to enjoy working at the hut. My hiking partner and I got caught in a storm on the pass and we arrived at dinner time in bad shape very wet and tired. The hut master was very rude and did not really care about our condition. He was only worried about how we were late. The entire time we spent at the hut he kept bothering my girlfriend and I with petty bs. The Rotstock hut master was the only jerk we met in 2 weeks of hiking in Switzerland. We stayed and I kept my cool but if given the chance again I would skip this hut and stay at the campsite on the other side of the pass.
The guests were very understanding and helped me with some electrolights and I felt better.

Hi peaks8, welcome to the forum! Thanks for sharing your experiences at the Rotstockhütte. I'm sorry to hear that the staff didn't take care of you the way they should. A warm and friendly welcome would be great, especially after a tiring hike in a storm. I'm glad that you did enjoy the rest of your hiking holidays in Switzerland and your overnight stay at the Rotstockhütte was the only negative experience. Which hikes did you make, and how did you like them?

Hello Annika
My girlfriend and I arrived in Switzerland on August 17th. We took a train to Reichenbach and then a taxi to Griesalp. We stayed at the Hotel Golderli and it was a very nice place to regroup from our flight. The place is lovely, the food is excellent and the staff is very sweet. On Aug 19th we began out hike to the Gspaltenhorn hutte. The hike was the most beautiful walk I have ever been on. The weather was just clearing from the night before and the clouds were just hanging in the valley. Everything was so green and the waterfalls were spewing from the mountains. We arrived at the hutte early and we were greeted by a very friendly hutte staff. The Gspaltenhorn Hutte is one of the most amazing places to stay. The view to the west is stunning at sunset. The meals they served were excellent and the hikers and climbers we met were very nice. If I was in better shape I would have liked to have taken an evening drink at the bar but I knew I had a big hike ahead the next day. On Aug 20th we hiked back down to the Via Alpina and began our hike to the Rotstockhutte. The hike was another success. We had great weather most of the day until we reached the seifenfuggen pass. We got caught in a lightning storm and had to hurry through this tough section. We made it but my hands were tingleing and my legs could barely move. My girlfriend was also having trouble. Once we made it down to the otherside we had the chance to view some of the wildlife of the area. We sighted a group of Ibex hidding under a large boulder. I also sighted a group of animals that looked like Elk or Deer. Very beautiful and made the afternoon. We arrived late at the Rotstockhutte and spent the night. We awoke the next day and hiked to the Village of Gimmelwald. We stayed 2 nights at the Mountain Hostel. The Mountain Hostel is a wonderful place to rest and relax for 2 days. There are endless trails for day hikes and adventures. The alpine views are amazing. Gimmelwald is an instant gratification destination for all ages. After we regained our strength we set off to spend 2 amazing days in Montreaux. We booked a Deluxe balcony room at The Hotel Excelsior with a stunning view of Lake Geneva. We enjoyed the wine country villages of Rivaz and Chexbre. We were even lucky enough to be invited on to a local womans patio for a tasting of her fine produce. We drank 16 glasses of incredible wine and ate delicious cheese and sausages. We also enjoyed a day in the village of Gruyere, 3 days in Bern and 2 days at the classical music festival in Lucerne. We loved our time in Switzerland and we cannot wait to go back and explore the other cantons. I hope I was helpful.

Chris Waters

Hello Chris. Thank you so much for telling about your stay in Switzerland. That's certainly helpful! You definitely made the most out of your Swiss trip, by taking such beautiful hikes, enjoying the local food and wines and visiting some typically Swiss towns. It's nice to know that most locals were hospitable and friendly to you. That's my experience too, and the owner of the Rotstockhütte seems to have been just a little stain in an otherwise nearly perfect holiday. I can imagine that you're looking forward to your next trip already. When will you be leaving? Of course you're welcome to ask your questions in this forum when making preparations.

Kind regards,

I have just booked a night at the Rotstockhutte. I emailed and got a nice friendly response quickly. I can see this thread is a couple of years old and so I just hope things will be better for us. Has anyone stayed there more recently?

Great site by the way :-).

Hello Fellow Hiker

You will have an amazing time just prepare for the physical challenge ahead and be ready for sudden weather changes with proper rain gear and layers.
I cannot wait to return to Switzerland it is the finest place on earth.

Chris Waters