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    Clara Tippelt – From the Big City to the Mountain Hut

    What is it like to leave everything you know behind and start a new life on the mountain pasture? Clara Tippelt (30) made the bold move and found her new home in Austria as the owner of a Tirolean mountain hut. 

    The artist Wiebke Nicklisch on the way to Almgasthaus Boscheben in Ellbögen, south side of Patscherkofel / Almgasthaus Boscheben

    Boscheben Mountain Hut

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    • Region:
      Innsbruck
    • Mountain:
      Patscherkofel
    • Altitude:
      2.030 meters
    • View:
      as far as Germany and Italy
    • Food:
      bacon dumplings, kaspress dumplings, soups, Brettljause (cold snack), cakes, etc.

    The Mountains, the Moment, and a Sense of Happiness

    Life sometimes takes quite unexpected turns. When studying fashion in Germany, Clara Tippelt certainly didn’t picture herself as a proud owner of a mountain hut in Austria just a few years later. However she already felt slightly restrained by the big city when she fell in love with the sheer space of the Austrian mountains. When the opportunity to buy the Boscheben mountain hut near Innsbruck came up, she didn't think twice and spontaneously set up her new home there. Even though hut life can be challenging at times, Clara can't imagine anything better than waking up in the morning in the middle of the mountains and sharing her life in the great outdoors with her guests. The Alpine setting allows her and everybody who visits her to focus on the here and now and appreciate the beauty of the moment. 

    View Across the Tirolean Alps

    And who would blame them: It isn’t difficult to find ease and a joy of life in this extraordinary place on the Patscherkofel (Innsbruck's local mountain), with the view extending over the Viggartal to the city of Innsbruck and the impressive Nordkette.

    If you are satisfied with your job, then the guests are happy, too.

    Clara Tippelt, landlady of the Almgasthaus Boscheben in Ellbögen, south side of Patscherkofel / Almgasthaus Boscheben
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    Clara Tippelt
    • Moments to cherish forever. Clara Tippelt doesn’t feel lonely up there in her mountain hut on the alpine pasture at more than 2,000 m above sea level. "When you have your own hut, you always have friends coming to visit", she describes her role as a host. Adding: "My dog ​​Merle is always by my side, too." The moments that are left to her alone are the ones that Clara consciously enjoys.

      Energy from the great outdoors. It all began with a love for the mountains, which led the qualified fashion designer to Tirol. Even as a child, Clara Tippelt loved being outdoors, although she was not yet enthusiastic about the hikes her parents took her on back then.

    • The alpine "life experiment" quickly became her biggest passion. The path to today's Boscheben mountain hut has not always been smooth but Clara took obstacles as a challenge. When it comes to the sustainable generation of energy in particular, which she relies on up there, a lot of progress has been made in recent years: "We had a big construction site a while ago, but we now there's a flushing toilet, sewage and solar plants as well as a combined heat and power unit. Before that there was no electricity, it was a very challenging time."

      Clara sometimes wondered whether she could make it all work, but giving up was never an option. 

    • Simple but with love. Some people are a little disappointed when they don’t find chips or ice cream on the menu, Clara says. Most guests, however, appreciate the simplicity and authenticity that is offered at the Boscheben mountain hut. The pasture can only be reached on foot, after all, and the hut gets all of its supplies through the material ropeway behind the building.

      Whatever is brought up or transported away involves hard work, so, if you plan on taking a break at the Boscheben mountain hut you can look forward to a small but excellent selection.

    • Dumplings, Kraut and the Traditional "Brettljause"

      Clara's specialities are homemade bacon and cheese dumplings with kraut or in a soup and "Hüttenkartoffeln" (potatoes with curd, cheese, and bacon). The hut owner tries to source as many ingredients as possible from the local area, including bread, eggs, and bacon. Regional products suit the style of the rustic mountain inn.

    • It goes without saying that the "Brettljause" is a must-try at the hut – it's the classic amongst the Tirolean mountain delights after all. And there are various homemade fruit cakes, depending on season. Clara’s popular mountain breakfast is hearty and down-to-earth: Bircher muesli, a selection of cheeses, sausages, eggs, fresh fruit, homemade spreads, juices, coffee, and tea – a special experience when enjoyed whilst watching the sunrise in the middle of the mountains!

    In the morning, Boscheben is the most beautiful place for me to watch the sunrise. It also gives me the feeling of doing meaningful work. 

    Clara Tippelt, landlady of the Almgasthaus Boscheben in Ellbögen, south side of Patscherkofel / Almgasthaus Boscheben
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    Clara Tippelt

    How to Get to the Boscheben Mountain Hut
    The easiest way to get to the Boscheben mountain hut is from Igls (Innsbruck), using the Patscherkofelbahn cable car. After a short hike of about 30 to 45 minutes along the Zirbenweg Trail, you’ll arrive to find homemade bacon dumplings and fruit cake awaiting you!

    Mountain Breakfast
    Please book in advance!

    Accommodation
    You can also stay overnight at the hut.

    Opening Times

    · In summer: during the Patscherkofelbahn operating hours
    · In winter: by individual arrangement

    Clara Tippelt, landlady of the Almgasthaus Boscheben in Ellbögen, south side of Patscherkofel / Almgasthaus Boscheben
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    Boscheben Mountain Hut

    Location: 6083 Ellbögen

    GPS coordinates: longitude 11.47668 / latitude 47.21176

    Landlady by Passion: An Interview With Clara Tippelt

    austria.info: When did you first play with the idea of leaving the city for good?
    Clara Tippelt: It happened gradually. A few years ago I was in Tirol for the first time. I liked it so much that I kept coming back. And then coincidence played its part. When I heard that Boscheben was up for sale, the decision was made very quickly. I thought to myself: why not buy an alpine hut? And embarked the adventure.
    austria.info: Did you find the transition difficult?
    Clara Tippelt: Not really. I knew what I was getting myself into. And during the off-season, when I'm not working, I visit friends and my family back home. I enjoy being at their places for a week or two but I wouldn't want to swap anymore.
    austria.info: What do you like most about your new job?
    Clara Tippelt: Nature is stunning up here. In the morning, Boscheben is the most beautiful place for me to watch the sunrise. I also feel like I am doing a meaningful job. The hikers arrive thirsty and hungry and are delighted when we serve them. In that moment, I feel like I'm doing something good for people, that makes me happy.
    austria.info: You also rent out the hut in the winter ...
    Clara Tippelt: The new heating system works so well that we came up with the idea. My boyfriend has a Ski-Doo. And we both have completed our training as mountain guides, something we would like to use. Our plan is to offer Ski-Doo rides combined with snowshoe hikes, tobogganing and hut stops. Even though we have an apartment in the valley for the winter, we keep coming back to the hut.
    austria.info: Any advice you would like to give others thinking about living on an alpine pasture?
    Clara Tippelt: Life up here is amazing and a lot of fun. But you also have to be strong and tough. If you are happy with what you are doing, the guests will be happy, too. Starting out is hard, but you grow with the challenge and just do your thing.

    The Hearty World of Tirolean Dumpling Specialities

    •                         Tirol dumplings
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      Tirolean dumplings

      This hearty dish will turn any cool evening into a heartwarming affair.
      How to make it
    •                         Kaspressknödel (Cheese dumplings)
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      Tiroler Kaspressknödel - Tirolean Cheese Dumplings

      Treat yourself with this hearty recipe of traditional Tirolean "Kaspressknödel".
      Show recipe
    •                         Lentil stew with bacon and bread dumplings
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      Lentil stew with bacon and bread dumplings

      A traditional Austrian recipe perfect on cold winter days.
      Show recipe

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