UKC

I have stayed in a number of mountain refuges and cabanes, particularly in the Pyrenees. I often think that some of the most memorable experiences have been those nights spent in un-manned huts with barely any amenities other than a bunk, table and chairs.

Three years ago I spent a great night in the Cabane de Besset in the Ariege. A cosy little place with fantastic views, vultures wheeling overhead, a mouse for company and a bottle of rum left by a previous visitor.

Any other offers?

In reply to mypyrex:

I've stayed in the Cabane des Bessines a few times, and it has a special place in my memory.

In reply to mypyrex:

Do bothies count?

In reply to Ramblin dave:


Yes

The Refuge de Tuqueroye(I'm talking thirty years ago) was quite memorable. We arrived, have ascended the Breche, in a thunderstorm. Spent the night on a communal stone sleeping platform(on a polythene sheet) with a host of other nationalities. Fantastic view of Perdido the next morning.

In reply to mypyrex:

The old Abri Simond at the foot of the Cosmiques Arete used to be memorable - I used to spend stormy nights there on the evenings I wasn't working in Chamonix (because I was working I used to get charged 10% of the 'ferique fare, it was cheaper than an evening drinking in the Bar Nash.)

In reply to mypyrex:

Not done many but of the refuges that I stayed in this year the Bertol hut was my favourite, The hut is in an amazing position, was warm and cosy, and the food was good. Water was ridiculously expensive but that is normal (it was actually cheaper than in a Zermat cafe though!) The Vignettes hut was a close second for me again good food and clean dorms.

SteveD

In reply to SteveD:

Not an unmanned hut though?

In reply to mypyrex:

The old Mitteleigi Hutte, on the Eiger. What a spectacular position! I particularly liked the long drop bog, over the North Face (taking care to avoid using it in strong up-drafts!).

In reply to mypyrex:



The Balzola is pretty good. No space for table and chairs (barely enough for rucksacks.)

In reply to blurty:


Like. Used to be one of those in the Refuge des Sarradets

In reply to mypyrex:
Refuge de la Noire ou Barelli-Pivano Fauteuil des Allemands the little bivi hut below the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey. Just for it's position up it that fantastic cirque, just getting there is diff.
The old Laboratoire des Cosmiques the one that burnt down was an interesting place as well, it was built around the rock it stood on. The corridor went along a bit up two steps along a bit down three steps and so on.
In Austria there was a bivi hut in the Glockner area called the Gruberscharte bivi its an orange fibre glass octagonal box on scaffolding. You enter up a ladder to a trap door in the floor, it's a bit like the Lunar module. I don't know whether it's still there but it was quite fun.
Also the Cabana Veronica in the Picos de Europa, which is made from an old raydar dome from an American war ship.

In reply to mypyrex:


Sorry my mistake, had the title been "Best unmanned Cabane/Refuge You Have Stayed In" I'd have understood, I didn't read it as being exclusively about unmanned huts, my bad!

In reply to SteveD:

Not to worry. Interesting comment all the same.

In reply to mypyrex:

I'm fond of the Rossi Volante bivi hut at the far end of the Breithorn ridge. Built on a platform, out over a drop to the glacier below, nearly 4,000m up, great views to Castor, Pollux etc. And an honesty box for a few Euros to the Italian Alpine club who maintain it. Probably sleeps 12, floorspace (bar sleeping platforms) big enough for 1 picknick bench type table and about the same again empty.... Hut was empty one time I stayed and had about 4 or 5 others on the other occasion making it feel pretty full, but also quite cosy once the stoves were going....

In reply to Ferret:

Just looked up in google images, looks good.

Didn't get to sleep in it but this one is quite fascinating:

http://www.pyrenees-refuges.com/photo/pegue1.jpg

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSCDSsTgzZimTIfJVGBCtC...

In reply to Ferret:

Staying in the Trident hut was exciting too. Shaky as hell above 1,000 foot drops on both sides, we convinced ourselves that the Italian Alpine club knew what it was doing maintaining it.

It's gone now.

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:




Gone where?

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:



Youch.... Exciting.

If you look at this picture:
http://thvn.free.fr/images/gr/gr10_05_ki/gr10_05_13.jpg
Where the farm track to the right of the barn disappears you will see a beech tree under which is or was a beautiful patch of grass on which I once slept sans tent.

In reply to mypyrex:
Innerdal gammelhytte

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ebygomm/4960260653/

We had the whole place to ourselves, unmanned but not not really basic.