Zermatt Magazin 2017

104 Zermatt Magazin | Blindtext Alpinismus
Täschhütte
Three generations of family tradition
Täschhütte (or “Täsch hut”),
run by the Swiss Alpine Club
(SAC), stands at 2701 metres
above sea level and has 78 beds.
It is a starting point for attractive
tours to the 4000-metre
peaks of the Mischabel Group
(Allalinhorn, Alphubel, Dom,
Rimpfischhorn, Strahlhorn and
Täschhorn). Since the hut
opened in 1945 three generations
of the same family have served
as hut wardens, looking after the
wellbeing of their guests.
Hosts for 72 years
Until 1970 the SAC hut was managed
by Josef Mooser-Lerjen. In the
spring of 1971 his nephew, Alfons
Lerjen, along with his wife Anita,
took over as hut warden. He was
succeeded in April 1992 by his son
André, who still runs the popular
Alpine hostel today with his wife
Gela. However, this family tradition
stretching back over more than 70
years will soon come to an end. The
Lerjens have decided to hand over
the role of hut warden at the end of
September 2017.
The 54-year-old mountain guide
and ski instructor André Lerjen
from Zermatt has been involved
with Täschhütte for 45 years. When
he was still in primary school, he
used to go there to help his father
Alfons. He still recalls how as a boy
he had to carry the fresh milk from
the dairy up to the Täschalp every
day.
In those days, the hut was a relatively
austere place to stay. There were
fewer creature comforts than today
and the guests had lower expectations.
Given the lack of refrigeration,
the menu consisted primarily
of milk and cheese, soup and bread,
pastries and potatoes as well as
home-made sausages and air-dried
meat.
Since André helped in the hut every
summer, it soon became clear which
of the six sons was likely to follow
in his father’s footsteps. He admitted
this to his girlfriend on one of
their first dates. Gela Demjen, from
St. Gallen, had come to Zermatt in
1984 as a shop assistant. Four years
after their wedding in 1988 André’s
70-year-old father retired from his
post and the young couple took over
the responsible work at 2701 metres
above sea level. It wasn’t long before
their three children, Sabrina, Yannic
and Tanja, were spending their summer
months in the hut.
Since then, the Lerjens have run the
hut for almost 25 years. In that time
they have looked after tens of thousands
of guests. A great deal has
changed in that time. A degree of
modernisation has made their work
easier, though they still need to be
extremely flexible and willing to work
hard. The warden has to be an allrounder,
able to carry out urgent repairs
and maintenance work himself.
The busy life of a hut warden
Täschhütte is managed by a warden
for at least 120 days each year. If the
snow and weather conditions are favourable,
André Lerjen opens the
doors of the hut in the first week of
April. For around 30 days he and an
assistant provide accommodation
exclusively for visitors on ski tours.
He then closes again at the beginning
of May to prepare for the forthcoming
summer season. For at least