Guest Author: Melanie Gath
A hut tour with kids sounds like adventure, freedom – and maybe a few question marks too. What do you need to bring? How do you keep spirits high? And what should you watch out for with weather, altitude, and gear?
Nina and Toni from the Tierberglihütte know from their own experience. For five years, they’ve lived with their family at 2,795 meters above sea level, right in the middle of the glacier world near the Steingletscher/Susten Pass. Along for the ride: son Yannick (2) and little Melina, who was born in early 2025. Their daily life is unimaginable for many, but for this family, it’s a dream come true – and full of practical insights for families who want to venture into a hut adventure.
Looking for tips on hut tours with kids, I thought, why not ask Nina from the Tierberglihütte? The couple has always been, and still is, out in nature whenever possible, “on skis, in crampons, climbing, or hiking boots.” And then they themselves live and manage one of these hut stops. So I’m sure I’m asking just the right person.
There’s an incredible amount to discover on tour
In life up high in the glacier world, is there actually still time and desire to go into the mountains? And does the family already go on tours with the kids? “They’re actually still too small for that,” Nina says. And of course, during the actual hiking season, the hut is at its busiest. “We do go hiking with Yannick. And we’ve been to the climbing gym in winter.”
This year, they plan to start his first attempts at skiing. Nina says: “When they reach that age, it’s definitely a wish of ours to go into the mountains more with them again. For us too.” Because, as she puts it, living with children does mean that one’s own “luxury life with sports and hobbies” takes a backseat. But there’s great hope that it will be more possible again eventually.
But what absolutely needs to be in your backpack when you start a hut tour with your children? The first, perhaps surprising, but all the more honest answer is: “For Yannick, the pacifier has to be there, for emergencies and for sleeping. And a small toy car, because that’s simply one of his most important things.” But otherwise, she firmly believes that there’s so much new to discover on such a tour that you don’t need much in terms of toys or other entertainment. “You’ll always discover something new that they find exciting.” Then she adds: “Spare clothes, something to drink, and maybe some snacks.”
Sunglasses are a must on the glacier
When I ask how warm it gets up at nearly 3,000 meters above sea level in the summer, Nina says that this year they’ve already reached a warm 19 degrees. Otherwise, however, the maximum temperatures are more around 15 degrees.
The sun, however, has incredible power, especially at altitude. Therefore, sunscreen and sunglasses must always be brought along. “For hiking, sunglasses might not be a must, but here on the glacier, they definitely are,” she explains. Yannick already knows exactly that he always has to put on sunscreen before going outside. “And I would always put something on children’s heads,” Nina says.
Otherwise, clothing simply depends on the weather. She lists what Yannick normally wears at the hut: “Long-sleeve shirt, sturdy pants, hiking boots, glasses, and a hat. When it rains, then also rain pants and a jacket.” Just recently, she observed again how Yannick came inside from the rain, and the drops just beaded off his namuk rain jacket.
She adds that Yannick is more of a warm-blooded child and often only wears the namuk fleece jacket when other children might need something warmer.
Here is a small packing list that I put together with Nina for you and your hut tours with children in summer:
What can sometimes still be missing, even if the backpack is perfectly packed, is the motivation of our little adventurers. I ask about that too. Nina says: “Of course, there are phases when he doesn’t want to go out. But as soon as he’s outside, he doesn’t want to come back in.” It can happen that he loudly resists one moment, and as soon as he sets foot in nature, everything is fine. “Sometimes he’ll play in the sandbox for an hour, but sometimes only five minutes and then he’ll look for flowers or collect feathers from our chickens. Or he goes wandering.”
Hut tours with kids: Listen to your own child
When planning tours with children, Nina recommends choosing routes that truly suit the child. It’s not about getting as far or as high as possible, but about the child enjoying being on the go: “Just go a way that you know your child can do. I believe there’s nothing worse than forcing a child to keep going, even if they don’t want to or don’t enjoy it anymore.” This can easily make them lose interest – even the greatest explorers and adventurers could lose their joy in nature in the long run. “I think that’s simply the most important thing: listen to the child and pay attention to the child’s abilities,” Nina says.
A particularly important note concerns ski touring with children in winter. Anyone who takes the little ones in a child carrier should be aware that they hardly move in it – and can therefore cool down quickly. The risk of hypothermia is high. At the same time, there is also a risk of overheating if parents, due to their own exertion, don’t accurately feel how the child is doing. Paying attention to appropriate clothing and well-thought-out details on the go ensures greater safety and comfort.
