Zermatt

Yesterday was a very, very full day.

Like many people, I have always associated Zermatt with the Matterhorn, the distinctive mountain symbolic of Switzerland. Indeed, when one of my new friends initially asked me if I wanted to go hiking in Zermatt, I assumed that we’d actually be climbing the Matterhorn (or at least part of it). As it turns out, the Matterhorn is one of the highest peaks in the Alps, consisting of four nearly-vertical rock faces, lining up almost perfectly with the four cardinal directions. The Matterhorn is also considered the most treacherous peak in the Alps, and from 1835, when it was first submitted, to 1995, nearly 500 climbers have died trying to reach its jagged top.

Needless to say, we did not attempt to climb the Matterhorn.  Nevertheless, Zermatt still offered a plethora of incredible hiking trails, including spectacular panoramas of the Swiss and Italian Alps, golden forests, enormous glaciers, and yes, the views of the incredible and alluring Matterhorn.

When we arrived in Zermatt, we spent several sleepy minutes studying maps, trying to determine the best way to end up on top of a mountain, increase our proximity to glaciers, and have the most majestic views of the Matterhorn as possible. Although we were hoping to do some sort of loop up and down a nearby mountain, we soon realized that we really only had time to hike one-way—we could either take a train up the mountain and hike back down, or hike up a mountain and then train down. Naturally, being young, fit and possibly crazy, we chose the latter, and proceeded to spend the next six hours trekking up 1,469 meters (or 4,819 feet, for you non-metric users) in elevation.

 It was incredible. 

pre-hike, in the touristy yet charming town of zermatt

view from the bottom: creek and the matterhorn

fountain decorated by alpine marmots!

climbing climbing climbing

fortunately for us, the many possible hikes
were very well marked.

golden fall.

hiking and happy :)

alpine creek

new friends! lizzy and amy. 

matterhorn on the left, swiss/italian alps on the right.

typical ben, always climbing things (in this
case, avalanche guards)

train tracks.

enormous mountains, tiny town below.

lunch break! we all packed lunches, but a hot bowl of
soup is difficult to pass up.

re-fueled and ready to go!

trying to get a group photo in front of the matternhorn....and not quite
 making it in time for the self-timer.