SAC huts: Costs, equipment and further information

Whether as a stopover on a hike lasting several days, as a starting point for alpine touring or simply to experience a night in the middle of the mountains: SAC huts offer a roof over your head and, if they are serviced, something warm to eat. Because of the altitude and the seclusion, some special rules apply in mountain huts. Here you will find the most important information for your overnight stay in a SAC hut.

What’s a SAC hut?

A SAC hut is a mountain hut belonging to the Swiss Alpine Club. There are more than 150 SAC huts throughout the Swiss Alps. On hikes, high-altitude touring or ski touring, they offer a good opportunity to spend the night in the mountains, often in high alpine terrain. Many SAC cabins are serviced and offer half board. Others are so-called self-catering huts or bivouacs and you have to feed yourself. All SAC huts also have a shelter all year round.

There are other mountain huts that are not part of the SAC and are privately operated. Many of them are comparable in terms of services and comfort to SAC cabins.

How much does a night in a SAC hut cost?

An overnight stay costs between CHF 25 and 50, or around CHF 70 to 100 with half-board – depending on the hut, season and membership in the SAC. In addition, there are different room categories that can be booked depending on the hut, which vary accordingly in the price. Some cottages offer 4- or 6-bed rooms, some even have double rooms, while others only have large rooms with mattresses on the floor.

In unattended SAC huts or winter rooms, a night usually costs less, around CHF 20 to 35.

Summer or winter: Payment takes place on site. Because some huts are located deep in the mountains and have no or only very poor reception, card or Twint payments are not always possible. Find out about the payment options in advance and ideally take cash with you.

The easiest way to book a place to sleep is through the hut-reservation.org reservation system. More than 220 mountain huts in Switzerland use this system, and over 500 huts are connected throughout the entire Alpine region.

How’s the food at SAC huts?

The food is usually simple: There is a soup, a main course and a dessert. The meals are served in bowls, everyone serves themselves. Most of the time there are second helpings, so you don’t have to go to bed hungry. Drinks are billed separately – in many huts a bottle of Hüttentee for the next day is included in the price of half board. Breakfast is usually simple, but filling: bread with butter, jam and maybe a Bircher muesli. Many serviced huts also offer lunch and you can almost always book a packed lunch the night before for the following day. This usually includes a sandwich, a bar and a piece of fruit.

Food allergies should be declared when you make your reservation, as should preferred diets such as vegetarian or vegan menus. Many SAC huts offer an alternative, but sometimes it is also necessary to understand that at several thousand meters above sea level not every wish can be fulfilled.

In unattended huts, you are responsible for the catering yourself and have to take everything with you.

What do I need to bring to a SAC hut?

For an overnight stay in an SAC hut, you absolutely need a hut sleeping bag. This fine silk or cotton sleeping bag is necessary for hygienic reasons – the bed linen cannot be washed after every night. If you don’t have your own, you can rent a hut sleeping bag directly from many huts for a small fee of around CHF 5–15. In most of the huts, hut slippers are provided.

What you should take with you in addition to your hiking equipment:

• A headlamp is especially helpful if you have to go to the toilet at night and it is outside the hut.

• Take a powerbank with you if you want to charge your digital device – the power supply in the huts is not always sufficient.

• Earplugs help you to have a good night’s sleep in a mattress or multi-bed room.

• Body care tip: There are very few showers in SAC huts. The easiest thing to do is pack a washcloth to freshen up after the strenuous climb.

• A fresh change of underwear for the evening and night is recommended.

Can you take a shower in a SAC hut?

Most SAC huts do not have showers, as water is often scarce in the high mountains and wastewater treatment is complex. If there are showers, they are usually subject to a fee and the duration is limited. A washcloth is often enough for an overnight stay. There is usually a simple washing facility, which is shared with other hut guests, as well as the toilet. This can also be located outside the hut.

Do I have mobile phone reception in SAC huts?

In mountain regions the reception is usually not consistent and in many huts there is no Wi-Fi. For urgent cases there is a hut telephone. It is also not guaranteed that you will be able to charge your smartphone battery. So pack a powerbank to be on the safe side.

Are dogs allowed in SAC cabins?

Due to the varying amounts of space available in the huts, there is no uniform rule regarding this. It’s best to ask the hut when you make your reservation. If dogs are allowed, they usually sleep outside in a doghouse or in a separate area.

Can I bring my own food to a SAC hut?

In principle, yes, as there is no obligation to consume food. For reasons of space, however, cooking for self-catering is usually not possible. In addition, the hut teams often live primarily from the sale of drinks and meals.

Which is the highest SAC hut in Switzerland?

The highest-altitude serviced SAC hut is the Cabane de la Dent Blanche at 3,507 metres. It is located in the Valais Alps and can only be reached via a long and challenging alpine approach.

The highest privately run hut is the Mönchsjochhütte (in German) at 3,657 metres above sea level in the Bernese Alps.

Small hut etiquette – how do I behave in a hut?

• Do not wear your mountaineering boots inside the hut. Exchange them for hut slippers in the shoe room.

• Consideration in multi-bed rooms or mattress rooms: Stick to the prescribed nighttime quiet hours and if you have to get up at night, use your headlamp, not the ceiling light.

• Take your own rubbish back down to the valley. This means that the hut team doesn’t have to pay any extra transport costs.

• Use local resources carefully so that as many people as possible can enjoy a wonderful night’s stay in the mountains.

This blog post was written in collaboration with the SAC. Use her Reality Check to see if you’re ready for a night in a mountain hut.