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The Matterhorn
Lying on the border between Switzerland and Italy, the iconic 4,478-m (14,693-ft) Matterhorn (Monte Cervino in Italian) is perhaps the most widely recognized mountain in Europe. It’s four faces – facing north, south, east and west – remain almost snowless because they are so steep. The snow instead feeds the glaciers that lie at the foot of each face. It was first climbed in 1865, by the route that is most commonly used today, the Hornli ridge above the Swiss village of Zermatt. Although about 3,000 people a year attempt the climb, many have to turn back because it requires a great deal of strength and stamina. The other major route is from the Italian side.
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Renowned as a winter skiing area, the lower slopes of the mountain are also excellent for hiking in summer, with stunning views, larch forests, alpine meadows and mountain tarns. One of the most amazing views an offer is that from the Gorner Grat ridge across the Gorner Glacier with the backdrop of the Monte Rosa, the Dorn, the Breithorn and the Matterhorn behind. The ridge can be reached on foot or by the railway. The Schwarzsee, or Black Lake, to the north of the mountain is a worthwhile destination in itself, and also offers closer views of the mountain and spectacular views across the valley, too. The high meadows have lovely alpine flora in spring and are home to marmots and arrange of alpinebirds.
The Matterhorn mountain is reflected in Lake Rifflesee above Zermatt. The Matterhorn is the seventh highest mountain in the Alps and one of the most often photographed mountains in the world.
What is it?
A instantly recognizable mountain.
How to Get There:
By road to Tasch, then by train to Zermatt, and on foot or by ski lift from there.
When to Go:
The best time for climbing and hiking is July to September.
Gimmelwald
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The landscape surrounding the tiny hamlet of Gimmelwald is breathtaking Perched high up on the Schilthorn, it looks east across the Lauterbrunnen valley towards the Jungfrau, Munich and Eiger. In both summer and winter, it is picture-postcard Switzerland. It is a traffic-free, television-free paradise: the only across is via the Luftseilbahn Stechelberg-Murren-Schilthorn cable-car or on foot. The walk from Stechelberg of Murren takes about an hour and a half from the former it is uphill and from the latter downhill.
From the top of the 2,970-m (9,744-ft) Schilthorn, the panoramic views encompass, the Jungfrau range and Titlis and the Juras, the Black Forrest. On clear days, Mony Blanc, some 110 km (&0 mi) away can just be seen. The cable car goes to the mountaintop, but the Schilthorn hikes takes you through a range of scenery that is almost unimaginable – steep, narrow gorges carved by streams, waterfall, huge boulders left lying by glaciers, alpine meadows, scree slopes, pineswoods, craggy peaks, U-shaped valleys, rounded ridges in which you can see the scars left by the ice and always, the snow-tipped mountains filling the view.
Read full article:Natural Wonders of The World: The Matterhorn and Gimmelwald, Switzerland
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