For Günter Hausjell it was more than a hut. There, at 1740 meters above sea level, between mountain pines and Wettersteinkalk, Schörflinger met his girlfriend Karin. The engagement was celebrated in the eastern Höllengebirge, which quickly advanced from their workplace to their main residence. Guests became friends, chamois pets. Now the 59-year-old has to say goodbye. And it hurts twice.
Mainly because it wasn’t entirely voluntary. As reported, the Ried Alpine Club section terminated the lease with Hausjell in July of this year. For him, this step is still incomprehensible. “But I don’t want to say any more bad words now. I remember the Riederhütte as a great home,” says Hausjell. He has entertained around 40,000 guests since he took office in May 2019. “Only a handful should have checked into a hotel. Most of them were grateful for the deceleration,” he says.
“A classic tavern”
The boxes have long since been packed, windows and doors closed, the belongings have been flown down into the valley. Only one very important thing is still missing: dog Keesha. More than 16 weeks ago, the animal went under in the mountain pine sea of the Höllengebirge – and never came back. “That makes saying goodbye even harder than it already is,” says Hausjell.
Even though he hasn’t officially been the tenant of the hut since the end of October, Hausjell remains the host. The 59-year-old kisses the country inn in the Kreh awake with his fiancée Karin. Since May 2019 – just the month in which Hausjell took over the Riederhütte – peace has returned there.
“We want to turn it into a classic tavern again. Not exaggerated and mainly with regional products from the Salzkammergut,” says Hausjell. The contract is ready to be signed, the opening times have not yet been fixed. The doors should open from April, but no later than May. Braun and Hausjell are still looking for staff for this, who should primarily come from the Gmunden district. In contrast to the work on the mountain, a closed day is also planned in the valley, and the country inn is to be operated all day during the summer.
“We can also imagine staying open on nice weekends in winter. But we’ll let that come to us,” says the 59-year-old. Weddings and Christmas parties are also part of the plan, after all there is room for more than 80 people indoors and around 100 people in the garden. A new beginning for the inn and innkeeper, which allows Hausjell to look positively to the future. And from his new workplace he can at least still look up towards the Höllengebirge.
Source: Nachrichten
