“You never have enough of the mountains. Every time the sun shines onto the slopes I think, ‘Wow, that looks amazing.’ In places like here it is a pleasure to work. I always dreamt of being my own boss on the Schatzberg mountain. Everything went so well that we agreed to carry on for ten more years. Up here, we are in charge.

We come up at 8:30 in the morning. There is lots to do and no time to waste, but I personally like the stress. Everybody works as hard as possible and tries to help the others if they need it. At the same time we also have fun and try not to take things too seriously. We also have our own farm with a traditional Tirolean breed of cows known as Tiroler Grauvieh. All the meat is processed here at the hut to make minced meat, goulash, burgers and steaks.

Up here in the mountains there are always a few people who are never satisfied, even when the weather is fantastic. They want to hike as many kilometres per day as possible and forget to just relax and enjoy the surroundings. I can’t understand that way of thinking. Most of the ski tourers who come in winter are different. At the end of each season we put on an event for them. They have a good meal and a few drinks. Later on the guests can often be found dancing with their ski boots on. Those are unforgettable moments.”

Stefan and Daniela Thaler, Owners of the GipföHit hut on the Schatzberg mountain

The award-winning GipföHit hut is a member of the Genussregion Österreich, an association of huts and restaurants promoting regional produce and local delicacies throughout Austria. The hut is located at 1,900 metres above sea level, just a few metres from the mighty cross marking the summit of the Schatzberg mountain, and is known for its fine food made using produce from the local region. The mountain restaurant is a popular meeting point for ski touring enthusiasts in winter and offers majestic views of the Zillertal Alps, the Wilder Kaiser Mountains and the Kitzbühel Alps.