Introduction
Skiing in Zermatt means, above all, immersing yourself in an unparalleled alpine panorama, sliding down slopes surrounded by the giants of Alps, among which the famous Matterhorn stands out; the Monte Rosa massif, which with its 4,634 m is the authentic "roof of Switzerland", or that of Mischabel, which, among so many immense peaks, is just an anecdotal fact that here we find the highest cable car in Europe, which goes up to the Kleines Matterhorn, the little brother of the Matterhorn, approaching a height of more than 3,800 meters.
Zermatt panorama
On the glaciers that extend at its feet it is possible to ski all year round. Not in vain, this ski resort belongs to the select Best of Alps club" and, despite its fame , if not exactly the cheapest, is one of the most popular in Switzerland.
Zermatt offers modern and efficient facilities, as well as an exclusive and international atmosphere, while maintaining much of the charm of a typical Upper Valais mountain village, with its traditional wooden houses. Cars with combustion engines cannot circulate in the town, and the usual means of transport are electric buses or taxis or horse-drawn carriages.
The local gastronomy offers a good repertoire of quality restaurants and the numerous inns or typical restaurants with terraces, often located next to one of the slopes that go down to Zermatt, invite you to taste a good regional dish before continuing the descent to the bottom of the valley. When practice skiing on the slopes of the four thousand mountains, we must not forget that it was precisely here where one of the most dramatic pages of mountaineering was written classic, the tragic battle for the conquest of the Matterhorn, whose relics can still be visited in the town's Alpine museum. Walking through any lost corner, it is still possible today to feel something of that atmosphere of the golden age of mountaineering.
The ski area
The Zermatt ski area has 164 km of slopes, located between 1,620 and 3,820 meters high, and is divided into three regions: Sunnegga-Blauherd-Rothorn (1,620-3,103 m), Gornergrat-Stockhorn (1,620-3,405 m) and Schwarzsee-Trockener Steg-Klein Matterhorn (1,620-3,820 m).
One of the quickest ways to get to the slopes is to take the alpine metro, an underground funicular that will take us in a matter of a few minutes to Sunnegga (2,290 m), already above the wooded area.
From there we continue with the cable cars to Blauherd (2,571 m), where we can put on our boards or continue climbing the cable car to the top of Rothorn (3,103 m).
In Rothorn we find, above all, slopes of medium difficulty (red); those that leave towards Blauherd allow us to enjoy the wonderful panorama of the high peaks that surround us. If you go down to Gant via the Fluhalp trail, it is possible to connect with the Gornergrat-Stockhorn area. Once we have returned to Blauherd, we can continue to Sunnegga on an easy track, or check if the Paradise track, which descends to the valley floor to Findeln, lives up to what its name promises.
The descent to Zermatt, whether on the easy Tufter track or the difficult National FIS, always promises a long and varied descent; Both tracks run in their lower section through the forest and coincide at Patrullarve, from where it is possible to go back up by chairlift to Blauherd, if you don't want to get off completely.
The historic Gornergratbahn cog railway departs from the center of the town and takes us to the Gornergrat-Stockhorn region, above the 3,000 meter elevation, without having to use another lift. The trip to the Gorner ridge station, located in the middle of a frozen world of glaciers, is an essential agenda for any visitor to Zermatt. The train winds through the forests and slopes of Riffelalp-Riffelberg and gradually gains more height, while the Matterhorn or any other of the frozen giants increasingly imposes its majestic presence.
The Gornergrat-Stockhorn region has the largest number of kilometers of easy ski slopes, mainly concentrated in the sunny Riffelberg and Riffelalp area. On the other hand, in the Hohtälli-Stockhorn area, which is reached by cable car from the Gornergrat, there are some of the most difficult descents in the entire region. The slopes that go down to Triftji or Gant, towards the Sunnegga area, are a real delight for experts on steep slopes full of bathtubs. It is advisable to be familiar with the relevant technique and have the shock absorbers in good condition.
The complete descent from the Gornergrat to Zermatt, along the Riffelbord and Riffelalp slopes, is easy, but long and entertaining, and offers excellent panoramic views, the center of which is the omnipresent Matterhorn. Finally, from the Gornergrat or the Hohtälligrat we can also go down Breitenboden (Kelle and White Hare slopes), either to then continue towards Zermatt via Riffelalp or to head to the difficult slopes, located below the Rote Nase. In any case, these are two varied and rewarding descents that bring us closer to the quietest part of the area.
To reach the Schwarzsee-Trockener Steg-Klein Matterhorn area, the largest of the three regions of Zermatt, we can take advantage of a descent along the Riffelalp-Schweigmatten slope and stop in Furi to take one of the cable cars that reach Furgg ( 2,432 m), Schwarzsee (2,583 m) or Trockener Steg (2,939 m). The other possible option is to go by bus to the Furi cable car station.
The Furgg-Schwarzsee area offers a good repertoire of varied and entertaining slopes located on the slopes of the Matterhorn, with a clear predominance of those of medium difficulty. You can also find more technical slopes with sections of bathtubs, such as, for example, Garten. One of the most beautiful descents is undoubtedly the Matterhornpiste, which starts from the Furggsattel (3,365 m) and runs under the east face of the Matterhorn. The descent towards Zermatt is not bad either: when going down the main track that passes through Furgg, some steep and narrow passages force us to work hard again, before making the well-deserved turn in front of one of the typical restaurants with a terrace.
The gateway to the highest part of this region is Trockener Steg. The cable car to the Klein Matterhorn departs from there, which at 3,883 m is the true highlight of a day of skiing in Zermatt. The last section to the top is taken in the elevator that starts from the tunnel that connects with the track. From the viewpoint, the entire Zermatt valley stretches out at our feet, surrounded by the four thousand mountains. The views towards the Italian side are no less impressive. It is worth remembering that we are at almost 4,000 m above sea level, which means that even with a clear sky it is usually quite cold.
The descent towards Trockener Steg does not present any difficulty, with good snow conditions and good visibility; The wide tracks of the glacier invite you to make wide turns and enjoy the panorama. A series of lifts allows us to climb back to the top of the glacier, passing through the Theodulpass and Testa Grigia.
The Plateau Rosa, where skiing is possible all year round, is operated jointly with the Breuil-Cervinia resort, located on the Italian side of the Matterhorn. On that side another 100 km of slopes await, but the lifts are not included in the Zermatt ski pass. A possibility to know Hohtälligrat we can also go down Breitenboden (Kelle and White Hare slopes), either to then continue towards Zermatt via Riffelalp or to head to the difficult slopes, located below the Rote Nase. In any case, these are two varied and rewarding descents that bring us closer to the quietest part of the area.
To reach the Schwarzsee-Trockener Steg-Klein Matterhorn area, the largest of the three regions of Zermatt, we can take advantage of a descent along the Riffelalp-Schweigmatten slope and stop in Furi to take one of the cable cars that reach Furgg ( 2,432 m), Schwarzsee (2,583 m) or Trockener Steg (2,939 m). The other possible option is to go by bus to the Furi cable car station.
The Furgg-Schwarzsee area offers a good repertoire of varied and entertaining slopes located on the slopes of the Matterhorn, with a clear predominance of those of medium difficulty. You can also find more technical slopes with sections of bathtubs, such as, for example, Garten. One of the most beautiful descents is undoubtedly the Matterhornpiste, which starts from the Furggsattel (3,365 m) and runs under the east face of the Matterhorn. The descent towards Zermatt is not bad either: when going down the main track that passes through Furgg, some steep and narrow passages force us to work hard again, before making the well-deserved turn in front of one of the typical restaurants with a terrace.
The gateway to the highest part of this region is Trockener Steg. The cable car to the Klein Matterhorn departs from there, which at 3,883 m is the true highlight of a day of skiing in Zermatt. The last section to the top is taken in the elevator that starts from the tunnel that connects with the track. From the viewpoint, the entire Zermatt valley stretches out at our feet, surrounded by the four thousand mountains. The views towards the Italian side are no less impressive. It is worth remembering that we are at almost 4,000 m above sea level, which means that even with a clear sky it is usually quite cold.
The descent towards Trockener Steg does not present any difficulty, with good snow conditions and good visibility; The wide tracks of the glacier invite you to make wide turns and enjoy the panorama. A series of lifts allows us to climb back to the top of the glacier, passing through the Theodulpass and Testa Grigia.
The Plateau Rosa, where skiing is possible all year round, is operated jointly with the Breuil-Cervinia resort, located on the Italian side of the Matterhorn. On that side another 100 km of slopes await, but the lifts are not included in the Zermatt ski pass. A possibility to know
