Originally Posted By: wagga
Answer: What In The World Happened Here? CXI: (111)

This is the Capanna Regina Margherita at about 14,816 feet above sea level, on the Italian/Swiss border.

Here is a terrific pano.

It is at a similar height to our very own Smithsonian hut. Even though it has electrical power, 70 beds and a library, alas, it does not have a Starbucks.


I should have ID'd that one. The Monte Rosa hut was famous for high altitude medicine research:

The Monte Rosa is not only mountain climbing, history and passion but also science. There are two science laboratories operating up there: the Capanna Margherita at the Signalkuppe at an altitude of 4,554 meters and the Istituto Angelo Mosso at Col d'Olen at 2901 meters. Capanna Margherita has been inaugurated in 1893 on behalf of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) and since the very beginning it has been a scientific laboratory of international repute. In 1903 it has been declared "International Institute" by the Academy of Sciences in Washington and through the XX° century it hosted the most innovative researches in different scientific areas: physiology and medicine (63%), glaciology (20%), environmental sciences ( 15%), physics (2%)