Hüritalhütte back in operation

Photo: Josef and Leonette Iten will be serving winter coffee in the Hüritalhütte.
 
The Hürital Alp lies at the very back of the Hürital valley, at the foot of the Chaiserstock. It belongs to the Genossame Sattel, and the Josef Suter family live on the alp (alpine meadow) from the beginning of May until the end of October. "This has been the case for about 22 to 23 years," confirms Heiri Fach, the President of the Genossame.
 
Over about 23 years, the Satus Baar gymnastic group (Turnverein Satus Baar) has also leased the cabin in the winter, with the last time being winter 2014/2015. The club couldn’t find a successor to for the cabin warden Peter Hossle, however, and therefore cancelled the lease.
 
From mid-October of this year, the Hüritalhütte will be operated again in winter. The new tenants are Josef and Leonette Iten from Unterägeri, who live at the entrance of the Hürital in Oberfurren. "We handed over our farm to our son two years ago," says Josef Iten, "And now we're employed by him." But he’s only 63 years old, and wanted to still do something active, so he contacted the Genossame about the lease of the Hüritalhütte.
 
"We are extremely happy that, with Josef and Leonette, we have found the perfect tenants for the winter half-year," says Heiri Fach, who stays on an alp on the other side of the Chaiserstock. "They know what it's like when it rains, and what winter means in Hürital." They have the knowledge, the equipment and the experience to be successful in the Hüritalhütte.
 
The hütte (cabin) is open to the public every Saturday and Sunday, including the coming weekend before Christmas and from December 29th to January 1st. The winter season lasts until the end of April, and Josef and Leonette Iten will be welcoming guests to the Hürital during that period. And there will always be a ‘dish of the day’ (menu), as Josef Iten explains. The culinary focus is on the "Hürital burgers", which are available in four different versions, and fondue from two people upwards. "We cook exclusively with our own products or with products from the Aegerital," says Iten. The meat and the eggs come from their son’s farm, the bacon from the Villiger butcher in Unterägeri and the cheese from Chäslade in Unterägeri, as can be seen on the menu.
 
From the Schönalphütte, you can reach the Hüritalhütte in a leisurely hike of about 45 minutes, or with touring skis or snowshoes. The distance is just over two kilometres, with an altitude difference of 240 meters. "The road is not snow-ploughed and salted from the Schönalphütte onwards", explains Iten, who can drive the tractor to the hut at any time.
 
With around 20 beds, the Hüritalhütte is also a destination for groups: "It is advisable to make enquiries early, however, so that we can prepare accordingly."
 
Note:
More information can be found on www.hueritalalp.ch