Simony Hut
The Simony Hut () is an Alpine club hut belonging to the Austrian Alpine Club (OeAV) located at a height of 2,205 metres, just below the Hallstätter Glacier at the foot of the Hoher Dachstein in Austria. The hut, which is named after Friedrich Simony the first person to ascend Hoher Dachstein, is high above Hallstatt in Upper Austria in the northern part of the Dachstein Mountains. It is open year-round and, in winter, offers numerous options for ski tours and snowshoe walking. The Simony Hut is an important base for climbers because they are able to set  out from here on long tours over the Dachsteins. There is also a mountaineering school where training courses are run for glacier or ice climbing. The Dachstein Chapel is nearby. History. In 1843 a stone rest and emergency shelter, known as "Hotel Simony", was opened just below the site of the present hut. In 1876, Friedrich Simony selected the present location himself for construction of the first free-standing wooden building. The opening ceremony was held on 18 August 1877. Over a decade later, the hut had become a popular destination for climbers. The structure was enlarged between 1891 and  1893 to compensate for the increasing numbers of visitors. Further works were carried out from 1922 to 1933, and the hut underwent a general restoration in 1953. No further alterations were made to the original structure after the last major renovations between 1961 and 1963 when a power supply was also added. In 1977, the Simony Hut a celebrated its centenary as a climbing and alpine training centre. In 1989 a biological treatment plant was opened to treat human waste (upgraded in 1998). A large modern annex was opened in July 1999. As the Simony Hut lies near the Hallstätter  Glacier, most routes require knowledge of glacier crossing with appropriate equipment. The only exceptions are the paths to the Wiesberg House and the Gjaidalm. Crossings. As the Simony Hut lies near the Hallstätter Glacier, most routes require knowledge of glacier crossing with appropriate equipment. The only exceptions are the paths to the Wiesberg House and the Gjaidalm.