Serious weather conditions and the corresponding costs put alpine clubs under enormous pressure. Despite the many volunteers, the support of the network of paths is hardly manageable. Moreover, cabin -replacing buildings such as those on Reichenstein, Eisherzer, are increasingly in the money.
“Only last week did I have a phone call with the nature lovers who asked if we could buy a hiding place for them,” says Clemens Matt, general secretary of the Austrian Alpine Club, during a press conference on Thursday in Graz. “Unfortunately we can’t, even if we wanted it, but our financial scope makes it impossible.” What the Vorarlberger wanted to say: all Alpine Clubs stand with their backs to the wall, not only the Alpine Club as the largest with its 725,000 members.
Measures go into money after storms
The reasons for this are explained quickly: “Due to the increasing number of extreme rainwater events, it is increasingly effort to maintain the network. Above all, it must be considered that this is being done to the majority of the volunteers,” says Matt. “In Switzerland, for example, the federal government is responsible for the paths, one kilometer is budgeted here with 800 euros. We calculate at 60 euros per kilometer – only for relationship.”
Moreover, there would be increasing fixed costs. If new bridge buildings are needed, this is particularly the money. The alternative: “In the worst case, we have to give up huts to maintain bases with all the violence, which is simply not possible today.”
Nationally, on average two protective huts are lost per year, in Styria the most recently influenced the Mörsbachhütte in Donnersbachwald. “The house is still available as a self -catering hut, but it is no longer an official hiding place,” says Günter Riegler, chairman of the Graz section.
The Alpine Clubs and its effects increase the Alpine Clubs in a different place: “For example, the melting permafrost, for example, made the new construction of the Seethalerhütte on the Dachstein.” If, as in this case, you need a fully replacement building, this would be special costs intensive: “This is no longer feasible under three to three and a million euros,” Matt reports.
Moreover, the increased quality requirements would come, Riegler added: “In the past, hikers were grateful when they got a warm soup and had a place to sleep. It is different today.” You would be happy if you could find tenants for the management of the protective huts.
Reichensteinhütte is being demolished
Incidentally, the next major measure is the new construction of the Ewelenenerz Reichensteinhütte. “The existing house is still open by the end of September, the cabin will be closed next year,” says Norbert Hafner, chairman of the Styrian State Association, at the request of “Krone”. The commissioning of the new house is then planned for 2027.
A first index adjustment of membership costs is one of the many points that will be discussed during the annual General Meeting of the Austrian Alpine Club, which takes place in Graz in October with around 500 participants.
€ 95 million needed
However, because you can also fill the budget hole with it, “never and never”, you are now more dependent on politics: “The Alpine Clubs need a rescue package of a total of 95 million euros to maintain or maintain the infrastructure in the mountains,” Matt said. Profession and a corresponding petition with a good 100,000 signatures were addressed to the federal government in the previous year, but so far there have been specific answers.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
