High in the Alps: as the caretaker of a Swiss Alpine Club hut, Armin Rey, 58, has maintained the trails, initiated search parties for lost guests, and even found himself trapped alone for five days waiting out a snow storm--and that's on top of work-a-day jobs like cooking, waiting on guests, maintaining the hut and hauling in provisions. There are certainly easier ways to make a living.

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High in the Alps: as the caretaker of a Swiss Alpine Club hut, Armin Rey, 58, has maintained the trails, initiated search parties for lost guests, and even found himself trapped alone for five days waiting out a snow storm--and that's on top of work-a-day jobs like cooking, waiting on guests, maintaining the hut and hauling in provisions. There are certainly easier ways to make a living.

The hut in Uto was built in 1918 for the modest sum of SFr 28,000. Its namesake, Prof. Albert Heim (1849-1937), was an honourary member of the club, a respected geologist and mountain enthusiast whose idea it was to build a hut at that prominent geographical location.

Back then it had space for 18 to sleep and eat, as well as a latrine. Extensive expansion throughout the years has increased sleeping places to eighty, added a second latrine, and enlarged the kitchen.

Running water is supplied through a plastic pipe from a small reservoir about a half hour's walk aw...

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