In this post I’m sharing photos from a hut-to-hut hike in the Alps in the mountains around Zermatt, a small resort village high on the Swiss-Italian border, in the Swiss canton of Valais. The high mountains around Zermatt are dominated by the iconic isolated peak of the Matterhorn, with its four-sided pyramid shape projecting about 14,700 feet (about 4,500 meters) into the sky. Its four steep faces are almost symmetrical, each facing north, south, east, or west. Four ridges form the edges of the pyramid, running up to the tip from the northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest. The Swiss-Italian border runs right through the ridge crest, and the south face of the mountain is in Italy.
My five-day route was a long narrow loop, hiking up into the steep terrain above the town to Pension Edelweiss and then Berggasthous Trift; along the Höhbalmen Höhenweg high-meadow route toward the upper basin of the Zmutt Glacier, to Schönbielhütte hut; then back along base of the northern face of the Matterhorn and up the northeast ridge of the Matterhorn to Hörnlihütte; and finally back down to Zermatt through high meadows and the little cluster of classic alpine structures in Zmutt. The route was a bit treacherous when it ran on very narrow paths across steep faces, but for the most part the drama was in the beautiful views of the Matterhorn.
Although the term “hut” is used for the mountain lodges throughout the Alps, they are typically more like hostels, with bunkrooms and common dining rooms. At dinner and breakfast serving dishes of family-style meals are passed down long dining tables. I love these types of places, where there is instant camaraderie and the excited sharing of experiences from along the hiking routes. When you’re hiking hut-to-hut you minimize what you carry in your backpack. You can get by with a sleeping bag liner, lunch snacks, and clothing for whatever the weather may bring – the bedding and the food is at the huts!
Looking down into Zermatt from the Pension Edelweiss. Arrival into Zermatt is by train – the town is car-free!
Up in the high meadows above town I came across this flock of Valais sheep on a hike up to Wisshorn from Berggasthaus Trift.
The black-nosed Valais sheep are quite curious and cute, with their twisted horns and flops of hair hanging down over their eyes.
The shape of this sheep runs in graceful curves around the curly textures of the wool.
Arrays of snow fences on the steep slopes of Wisshorn reduce the risk of avalanches.
In a photograph taken from Wisshorn after the skies cleared, the Matterhorn has a banner cloud trailing off to the side. Water vapor is condensing in the low air pressure created by high winds blasting around the isolated peak.
Berggasthous Trift, at the bottom of the photograph, is overwhelmed by the large scale of the surrounding mountains.
Bright green grasses, recently relieved of their snow cover, sparkle in the sun, with greys and whites of glaciers in the distance.
Contrasting tones and textures of rock faces, strips of grasses, and dark streaks of snow melt.
A small simple chapel with a cross shaped from wire. The roof is covered with overlapping thin slabs of stone – typical for the oldest structures in the area.
Looking across to the Monte Rosa massif and the Gorner Glacier from the Höhenweg Höhbalmen trail – a fantastic array of clouds spreads over the sky.
A pair of solid flat rocks bridges a tiny little stream of galcier melt. It looked quite zen-like.
On the way to Schönbielhütte, the Zmutt Glacier, covered with gray glacial debris, reaching down along the north base of the Matterhorn.
A donkey or pony, probably used for packing in supplies, grazes beside Schönbielhütte below the peak of the Matterhorn. The north face of the mountain is to the left of the ridge facing the hut.
In the early morning sun, with the shadow of Matterhorn’s peak against the snow faces at the back of the photo, hikers get their equipment ready on Schönbielhütte’s terrace.
Setting out in the morning, on a route leading over to the trail that I will take up the ridge of the Matterhorn.
Near the end of the hike up to Hörnlihütte, on edge of the northwest ridge of the Matterhorn. The hut is just visible at the upper right. In early July there is still snow at this elevation – a bit slippery without crampons, but not too bad.
Up at Hörnlihütte you can relax and take in the views from the deck.
I lent my binoculars to this hiker. We were watching a small group of climbers high above us slowly working their way up a technical route on the northwest ridge of the Matterhorn.
From Hörnlihütte’s deck, the early morning sun lights up the glaciers and peaks to the east. Ski lifts carry skiers up to the top of the broad flat glacier. I skied on that glacier on my first trip to the Alps when I was studying in Europe as an undergraduate.
Hiking down from Hörnlihütte, we’re back below the snow. A hiking friend took this photo of me, with the Zmutt Glacier behind me in the valley below.
On the hike back into Zermatt we pass through the little cluster of buildings that is Zmutt.
In the town of Zermatt there are a number of log structures from the 16th century. These on the left sit on short columns topped with flat disks of rock to discourage rodents from getting to stored grains.
I stopped in the Snow & Alpine Center to get information about guided technical climbs up the surrounding moutains – maybe some day!
