Alpinism at its peak – thousands of overnight stays: SAC huts post a record year – News

  • In 2022, the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) was able to communication 375,000 overnight stays recorded.
  • The turnover from day and overnight guests also exceeded the 35 million mark for the first time last year.
  • Only five SAC huts could not be operated in 2022.

Never before in the almost 160-year history of the Swiss Alpine Club have so many people stayed in one of its huts as in 2022. With a total of 374,925 overnight stays, the SAC surpassed its previous record year of 2009 by more than 15,000 overnight stays. Compared to the same season last year, the association saw an increase of 14.5 percent.

The record summer also had an impact on sales, which totaled CHF 37.9 million. 9.8 million came from overnight stays. Consumption in the huts generated sales of 28.1 million Swiss francs. On average over the last 15 years, the huts have each turned over CHF 28.2 million.

Good summer season thanks to good weather

The flow of visitors was the same everywhere, especially in the summer season. Thanks to the hot and long periods of good weather, 295,734 overnight stays were recorded in summer. However, this good utilization sometimes led to a lack of water in the huts, as the SAC further announced. However, savings measures and the careful handling of the precious liquid prevented the smelters from closing early.

The winter season is also impressive. It reached the level before the Corona lockdown in 2020. Overall, the number of overnight stays between November 2021 and April 2022 increased by 25 percent compared to the previous year to 78,561.

Five huts remained closed in 2022

The SAC was unable to operate four huts in 2022. The Capanna di Sciora in the canton of Graubünden is not accessible through the Val Bondasca due to a landslide in Bergell in 2017. There is a risk of further landslides, so access is blocked.

The Mittelaletsch bivouac in Valais was completely destroyed by an avalanche in 2019. The Trifthütte in Bern shares the same problem. It was also severely damaged by an avalanche in 2021.

Access to the Mutthornhütte is officially prohibited due to strong rock movements caused by the thawing permafrost. The SAC will reopen the Gaulihütte, which was also closed in 2022 for renovations, in March. The latter two huts are also located in the canton of Bern.

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