Alpine Adventures with Knives
Our Blades Go Right to the Top
Alpine Adventures with Knives
If you’ve ever arrived at a mountain pass hungry for a meal after a day’s hike, you’ll know: everything tastes better up there. As locals, we know that the Swiss Alpine Club has lodges dotted throughout Switzerland. Although we call them “huts”, some of them are very comfortably appointed and are located on some of the most beautiful isolated peaks on earth. We partnered with MySwitzerland to visit three of them and to road-test some of our Victorinox kitchen knives on the way. Despite working in remote areas with simple appliances, many hut keepers impress visitors with their local culinary specialties and the heart and soul that goes into making their delicious dishes is what makes these three huts stand out: The Lidernen Hut in Canton Uri, the Wildstrubel Hut in the Bernese Oberland and the Corno-Gries Hut in Ticino.
The Lidernen Hut: A tranquil spot in the middle of a lush alpine meadow.
Whether you zip up by gondola or hike up from Riemenstalden in Canton Schwyz, you’ll find this hut is a popular destination – for fans of both the Alps and the simple Swiss dishes made from natural ingredients by Irène, who runs it with her husband. Cutting into a warm loaf of her freshly baked bread was a breeze thanks to our fabulous Swiss Classic Bread Knife.
How high up: 1727m above sea level
How long a hike: 1 hrs. 40 min. (or 15 min. by gondola)
How many beds: 85 (divided up into six multibed rooms)
When it was first built: 1944 (with many renovations since then)
The Wildstrubel Hut: This lodge skillfully combines history with new architecture.
Offering a bird’s-eye view of the Wildhorn peak, this lodge lies on the border of cantons Bern and Valais, not far from the Plaine Morte glacial plateau. The historic section has two impressive dining rooms with restored wooden tables and walls. In the kitchen, Madan sliced and diced up some very special ingredients to give us a taste of his native Nepal.
How high up: 2789m above sea level
How long a hike: 3 hrs. 40 min. or 1 hr. 30 min.
How many beds: 68 (divided up into seven multibed rooms)
When it was first built: its two sections date back to 1927 and 2015
The Corno-Gries Hut: The spaceship at the top of the mountain.
Its unusual shape makes for an amazing sight on this alpine plateau. Not far from the Nufenen Pass in the upper Bedretto Valley, this hut is easy to get to in both summer and winter, even on a mountain bike. Our Victorinox Swiss Classic Santoku Knife came in handy in preparing plates of local charcuterie – the trick to making the local air-dried beef a sensation is slicing it as thin as possible.
How high up: 2338m above sea level
How long a hike: 1 hour How many beds: 48 (divided up into six multibed rooms)
When it was first built: 1926 (with a modern “spaceship” addition in 2007)
Patrick Güller took these shots of the three SAC huts for us. The 23-year-old landscape photographer hails from Canton Valais and whether he’s exploring the mountains on foot or on skis, he always brings his camera along. He’s also a member of the Helvetic Collective and is passionate about the Swiss Alps.
