Essener-Rostocker Hut ⭐

Elevation: 800 m / Lenght: 12 km / Time: 5,5 hrs
Visit rate: 2/5 / Rating: 5/5

The most beautiful place Jana and I visited in 2025. The perfect weather and the beautiful sunset, which turned the surrounding mountain nature orange in the early evening, also contributed to that.

Sleeping in mountain huts is slowly but surely becoming our new trend, which we plan to continue in 2026. It is not a cheap thing, but the "vibe" is worth the money.

An early evening walk through the alpine nature leading to the mountain lake Simonysee, which is surrounded by glaciers and peaks located almost 3,500 m above sea level. It is really hard to compare it to anything else.

You feel like you are at the end of the world. Except from the sound of water and a few ground squirrels, you will not encounter a living soul. This is exactly the peace that each of us is looking for. This is the feeling that each of us should experience in order to understand what is really important in life.

Of course, getting good weather for these hikes is always difficult. Often, you don't even know a day in advance whether the conditions will be favorable. Out of my three attempts to visit a mountain hut in 2025, only this one was successful, which made me enjoy it even more. Mountain huts are usually fully booked at the last minute, but in this case there were plenty of free beds. I think it's even possible to reserve a bunk bed just a day or two in advance, which is quite unusual for popular alpine huts.

The climb with a heavy backpack full of water, a sleeping bag, basic toiletries, suitable clothing for all weather conditions, a power bank, and other electronics can really take its toll, and you feel every meter of elevation gain. Without trekking poles and good shoes, I wouldn't have made it past 500 meters of ascent.

Evenings in mountain huts will remind you of summer camps. Having a cold draft beer, homemade cakes, and maybe goulash at nine in the evening is simply something special. You play board games or cards, sometimes someone plays the guitar and sings, and at ten o'clock it's time to go to bed.

Route from the nearest paid parking lot to the mountain hut.