The old ram cabin

A very first Bockhütte was mentioned in the early 18th century by an unknown forester on a drawn map as "Pochhüttl auf den Eisen Poden". A grazing right for the area was even recorded as early as 1408. The catering of the Bockhütte, which was already built in 1932, only took place since the 1980s. The hut bears its name because only rams were driven into the wild valley there. For the female animals or lambs it was too dangerous, because one risked that they would be killed there by stones.

After the old hut was in a desolate state, planning began in 2005 for a new building, which was implemented in 2010. The Bockhütte is very similar to its predecessor and was built in the classic, local way: Bricks, cement and a lot of wood.

The new Bockhütte was put into operation in July 2011. In order to preserve the old hut, beams by beams were dismantled, numbered, transported away by helicopter and stored - and finally reassembled, restored and used in 2019.

Now there are just 40 kilometers between the present location and the original location of the hut in the Reintal valley between Partenkirchen and Zugspitze. At an altitude of 1052 m, the Mittlere Reintal shares with the Partnacher Hinterklamm and the Hintere Reintal at the Bockhütte (today newly built at the same location). The area is shaped above all by alpine pasture farming, which has a long tradition in the Reintal. Sheep from Garmisch and Partenkirchen have been grazing here for centuries. The 124-hectare pasture area of the hut currently accommodates about 600 sheep in the summer months.

Anyone who has ever climbed Germany's highest mountain and decided in favour of the more gentle but longer route through the Reintal valley is certainly familiar with the Bockhütte. For hikers, the Bockhütte is a stage destination on the way to or from the Zugspitz summit - or simply a destination for an excursion into the imposing, wild and romantic Reintal valley. Although the Bockhütte does not look back on such a long tradition as a snack station, it has nevertheless been popular with hikers, mountaineers and mountain bikers for over 30 years and provides guests there with food and drink. One stage of the "Via Alpina" long-distance hiking trail also leads past the Bockhütte. Those who want to do the stage from the Meilerhütte to the Reintalangerhütte or vice versa should definitely stop by for a bacon plate, a cup of coffee or a wheat beer.