Matterhorn Glacier Trail: A Winter Hike Adventure in early Autumn

Trockener Steg 2939m – Schwarzsee 2583m (Matterhorn Glacier Trail) – Stafel – Zmutt – Winkelmatten 1615m

It was freezing today, hovering around 0 degrees, when we set off on our hike. My hands and feet were instantly cold, and after such a long stretch of warm summer weather, the sudden drop in temperature really caught us off guard. We weren’t exactly prepared for it! There weren’t many other hikers around, probably because of the harsh weather, which gave the trail a quiet and almost eerie atmosphere. The rocky, barren landscape reminded me of a lunar surface, making the experience feel even more special in its own way.

Despite the cold, we were rewarded with an incredible view of the Matterhorn. The sky was clear, and we could see all the way to the peak. It was as majestic as ever, standing tall and proud. No matter how many times I see it, it still amazes me. It’s my favorite mountain, and being so close to it always brings me a sense of awe and joy.

We ate our sandwiches pretty quickly, hoping to warm up with some hot drinks or soup at the Schwarzsee Hut. But, to our disappointment, it was closed because of the off-season. That was a bit of a bummer, as we had really been looking forward to warming up there. Philippe decided to take the gondola back down to Zermatt from Schwarzsee, while I opted for a more adventurous route and headed towards Furi, continuing the hike all the way down to Zermatt on foot.

As I walked, the weather started to improve, with the sun peeking through the clouds. The warmth was a welcome change, and it made the walk much more enjoyable. Along the way, I got to see the Matterhorn from a different angle, which was breathtaking in its own right. Even though I’ve done this hike around four times already, it never gets old—it’s still one of my absolute favorite trails, and each time feels a little different depending on the weather and the views.