The History of Rosshütte Seefeld
Tightrope Act
The Rosshütte is inseparably linked to Seefeld for many people. Almost everyone from the region has a story to tell about it because nearly everyone has been there at least once. It also has an exciting and challenging history, as everything started with a fire.
The name "Rosshütte" in Seefeld is actually derived from the horses – in Tyrolean dialect "Rösser" – as it was originally used as a stable. Until it burned down. It was in 1925 when the then "Rosshüttl" went up in flames. Quite quickly, Andrä Tiefenbrunner, known as "Berger Ander," began with his father Peregrin to rebuild it. Five years later, they were finished, and the "Rosshütte" quickly established itself as a popular destination. Until 1954, it was managed by the builders themselves.
The material for the construction was transported from Seefeld to the 1,760-meter-high hut by – fittingly – horses. Every morning at nine o'clock, Andrä would look through his binoculars at the Seefeld train station and estimate how many hikers and skiers would take on the more than 500 meters of altitude towards the hut that day, and he would prepare in the kitchen according to these estimates. In winter, two ten-liter buckets of ski water were prepared, along with servings of pea soup and Kaiserschmarrn. Thanks to Andrä, the latter gained considerable fame: when a guest asked him why the Schmarren was so beautifully yellow, he replied that he only cooked it with "chamois eggs." And since everyone wanted to taste this special Kaiserschmarrn, it became a fixed item on the menu. A hut without Kaiserschmarrn is hardly imaginable in Tyrol today. So, we should thank Andrä for that.
Over the years, the small hut developed into a notable mountain lodge. The sunny location attracted many snow-hungry skiers, and the cable car did the rest to bring more and more people to the mountain comfortably. After the first post-war challenges were overcome, it was the pioneering spirit of the Seefeld tourism operators that advanced the cable car development for the Rosshütte area. The primary goal was a lift to the Seefelder Joch. At that time, they applied for a loan of eight million schillings under the project name "Gondelbahn Hermelkopf-Seefelderjoch." That was a lot of money but still too little. As quickly as the project progressed, reality set in. Even back then, they faced a strictly structured bureaucratic process. On July 10, 1951, the approval for preliminary work for the proposed cable car from Seefeld to the Rosshütte was granted by the project committee on behalf of the "Federal Ministry for Transport and Nationalized Enterprises." But, as is often the case, this forward-looking idea failed due to reality, namely financing.
Ultimately, despite significant financial, emotional, and construction challenges, it succeeded, as the cable car itself shows, which has served well for 60 years. In early summer 1958, the Jochbahn was completed and put into operation on June 26 of the same year at what is known as "the roof of Seefeld." Seefeld had thus entered a new era. At the beginning of 2018, the cable car leading from the Rosshütte to the higher Seefelder Joch at 2,060 meters was torn down and rebuilt throughout the year. Instead of twelve people, the gondolas now hold 25, and the technology and design of the valley and gondola station were upgraded. The new building reflects the theme of cable car technology in its design and is widely visible as a new landmark.
