A Down Day in Zermatt

July 18, 2023

Spending my birthday on the Matterhorn

Today I woke up to the sound of a stranger's alarm at a hostel. It was 7:00 am: breakfast time. I knew better than to go to breakfast immediately at 7:00, that is when everyone in the hostel goes. You always wait a half hour. Go at 7:30 and you wont have to wait in line. I showered and got dressed in the mean time.

Today is my birthday, and I get to celebrate it in one of the most scenic places in the entire world. I could see the Matterhorn towering above the Zermatt skyline from my top bunk view. I decided to do what most rational people do on their birthdays: do something fun to distract yourself from the impending exestential crisis that comes with becoming one year older. Today I decided I was going to climb to the hoernlihutte: a famous hut at the base of the Matterhorn (roughly 10,000 ft elevation).

When I headed down for breakfast at 7:30, I loaded my plate with fresh bread and cold cuts. I ended up sitting next to my bunkmates from last night who had also bike toured around Norway. We chatted about our plans for the day. We were both heading to the same place: hoernlihuette. A mountain hut built at the base of the Matterhorn. It is the current take off point for most Matterhorn ascents. The trail there is steep, but hikeable. Beyond the hut it turns into a technical rock climbing route.

I could have paid 50 Francs to take the cable car to the Schwarzsee and then hike from there, but I was feeling like a cheap masochist. I decided to ride my bike 2500 feet up a fire road to a different trailhead instead. The road was steep, but doable on my gravel bike. It took me about 1.5 hours to reach the trailhead.

I then got to the turnoff for the hoernlihuette. There was no way my bike was making it any further up the steep single track, so I locked it and leaned it up against the sign post. Unsurprisingly, there were very few people ascending this way. Most sane and rational people had taken the cable car and hiked from the Schwarzsee. The trail was incredibly steep, and I wondered what switch-back hating sadist had designed the trail as I hiked up. Eventually, this side trail I was on met up with the main trail from the Schwarzsee, and the trail was now a constant stream of 2 way foot traffic. From here, the trail steepened to the point where handrails and metal stairs were necessary.

By the time I made it to the hut, I the Matterhorn was directly ahead. I was also very hungry and ready for a nice meal at the hut. At the hut, I met my bunkmates from the hostel. They asked me if I came by bike and I said yes, half way by bike, half way on foot. They gave me a nod, and said they had to head back down to catch the last cable car back to Zermatt. I arrived to the hut around 2:30. By 3:00, most cable car hikers were headed back down to catch the last cable car of the day.

Before I ordered food, I needed to fill up my camelbak. The sign on the sink said the water was not drinkable because it was pure snowmelt (not enough electrolytes I guess). I asked the woman behind the register if they had a tap with drinking water, and she said no before pointing to a 1.5 liter bottle of water for 7 Francs. I filled up in the bathroom sink and took my chances. I was not about to pay 20USD to fill up my 3L water bladder. If the water is good enough to prepare food in the kitchen with, it's good enough to drink, was my justification.

Because most cable car hikers had left, I had my choice of table. I picked the table in the corer which had expansive views of the Matterhorn and surrounding mountains. I ordered a swiss specialty called Roesti. Basically a giant hash brown loaded with meat and cheese. I got a beer and some chocolate cake too.

As I ate, I enjoyed the warm cabin as the rain and sleet pounded on the window next to me. I decided to take my time with lunch and let the weather pass.

By 4:00pm, the sun was shining again, and I thought it would be good to head down the mountain. As I was leaving, another rain shower passed overhead and cast a rainbow over Zermatt. By now, all the cable car hikers had left, so I had the trail to myself. I took my time, taking pictures of the descent and flowers along the trail.

I made it back to Zermatt around 6:00pm, and got dinner at a grocery store. I bought a random assortment of convenience foods, and ate them at the hostel.