Italian Alps mountain hut free for anyone who makes it to the top

By Efrosini Costa

Italian Alps mountain hut free for anyone who makes it to the top
Fancy waking up in this hut with panoramic view of the Alps? It's all yours if you're willing to climb 8,300 ft to get there.

Set amongst the Julian Alps in italy, waking up in this mountain-hut would surely be like a dream. But it gets better, accommodation is completely free to anyone who can get to it.

Commissioned by the family of late mountain climber Luca Vuerich, who died in an avalanche in 2010, this pre-fabricated wood cabin was architecually designed.

It is located along the Ceria-Merlone trail and has been offered up to hikers free of charge as a a safe refuge since September 2012.

Designed by architect Giovanni Pesamosca, the clever chapel-like design stops snow form piling up on it, It’s south-facing opening also lets the sun melt away any snow that builds up during winter.

Because of ti’s high-altitude location, the building materials for the hut were flown in by helicopter. it took 18 trips and a team of 12 professional workers, mountain rescue volunteers as well as Luca’s friends to put the 16-sqm structure together in a single day.

For those who are less adventurous, a vast network of similar wood-cabins and huts are scattered throughout the Alps at much lower altitudes – though you may have to pay to stay at those ones.

Remarkably some of these pay-for-huts come with staff in the summer months who can provide home cooked meals and house keeping for hikers.

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