Video: What I Remember - Riding Zermatt

Zermatt is an amazing place. Seriously. It’s not only about the Matterhorn that supermodel among mountains. I don’t know of any other place in the world where the ratio of effort and sublime surrounding is as good as in Zermatt. Mountain railways take you as high as 10’000 feet (3100 meters). Huge glaciers are everywhere and considering that you are riding in high alpine terrain the trails are surprisingly smooth due to good trail care and thousands of hiking boots passing by every season. We talked to local bike school guide, Adrian Greiner and asked him for some advice on the five must-do’s of Zermatt:


1. Early morning ride from the Gornergrat

Take the first mountain railway up to the Gornergrat and ride down to Zermatt via Riffelsee. The view is breathtaking. The trails are playful and fun. It is highly recommended to ride there very early or very late in the day - the Gornergrat is one of the main attractions in Zermatt and there are hikers galore.


2. Hobbit land

Take the gondola up to Schwarzsee and follow the dirt road in direction of Stafelalp. There you’ll find the “Hobbit Trail”. This is not the official trail name, but you will quickly find out why the local mountain bikers call it that when you see and ride it. Flow guarantee included.


3. A night at the end of the world

Ride down from Rothorn on a couple of fun sections and enjoy the end-of-the world feeling at the Fluhalp guest house while drinking a beer on the terrace at dawn.


4. Gourmet up for 'Endless Trail'

From the underground station of Sunnegga you ride down to the beautiful summer settlement 'Findeln'. I highly advise you to stroll into one of the unique mountain restaurants for a good meal before you tackle the 'Endless Trail' - A long lasting ride along a spectacular cliff band and trough unique deep alpine forests.

5. An 'altitude-killer-day-chill-out' in the village

There are few better ways to recharge the batteries after a full day of riding and blasting altitude than relaxing in the hotel spa, refilling the stomach with traditional Swiss food (mostly meat and cheese) and enjoying the vibrant atmosphere in one of the local bars.


Handy Hints

Getting There:

Zermatt is located in the South-West of Switzerland. The village does not allow cars. Therefore most visitors reach Zermatt by cogwheel train (Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn) from the nearby village of Täsch (Zermatt Shuttle). Trains to Zermatt also depart farther down the valley from Visp or Brig. Those two cities are both connected to the Swiss main rail network (SBB).

Shuttles:

For mountain bikers there are loads of trails reaching from 3100m down to 1400m. Bikes are transported on three different mountains: Gornergrat, Rothorn and Schwarzsee.

Recommended Bike:

The high alpine environment in Zermatt is not a bike park. To get the most out of Zermatt a trail or an enduro bike is the best choice.

Dedicated Bike Map:

Supertrail Map Zermatt 1:50000

The Trail Bell

The trails of Zermatt can get very busy. That’s why the 'Trail Bell' is a great idea: This mini version of a cowbell alerts hikers of approaching mountain bikers and thus avoids potential
conflicts. You can get one of these bells at the Bikeschool Zermatt office near the central station of Zermatt.

Online Information:

www.zermatt.ch
www.bikeschoolzermatt.ch

---

MENTIONS: @teecee

---