Zermatt: Always Worth the Journey

It's been almost two years since our last visit to Zermatt. Then and now, Zermatt seemed to be an insider tip in the mountain biking world. No way, right?! But considering how few bikers you meet on the gondolas and trails it sure looks like it. Some reasons might be the mostly challenging hiking trails and the rather expensive lodging. Also, Zermatt does not (yet) promote itself as a bike destination.



Zermatt preparing itself for the growing MTB tourism

Daniel Luggen, director of Zermatt tourism explains that Zermatt sees itself surely as a MTB destination, but they decided to grow MTB tourism slow but steady. One of the outcomes of this strategy is that the hotels were ready for mountain bikers before they actually started promoting it - by now over 30 Hotels are certified swiss bike hotels. That's a lot more than currently needed, but they are for sure ready for an increasing number of bike tourists.

Additionally, hiking trails get optimized for bikers and Zermatt is currently creating flow trails to suit the needs of beginners or people without the urge to throw themselves into rock gardens and high alpine hiking trails. On the evening of our arrival in Zermatt we enjoy an aperitif on one of the many patios facing the Matterhorn. To our delight we notice many locals coming down from the mountain with their bikes. They took the last train up to Gornergrat for their daily after work ride. Not too bad I would say.



Tour de Zermatt

Next morning we meet Beat from Swiss Skischool Zermatt, our guide for the next two days. He’s got big plans for today. He wants to show us as much as possible all around Zermatt. We start with a train ride up to Gornergrat, first time today that we end up above 3000m. The views are breathtaking and before we start our first ride, Beat tells us a bit about some of the many peaks around us. Most of them are higher than 4000m.



The trail starts technical and very rocky. Some parts were for most of the group not rideable. Ben did ride everything, but he did also manage to dent his rim. The terrain is definitely unforgiving.

Soon, the trail gets easier to ride and our group advances faster. When we finally reached the pine forest we rode for the first time an "optimized" hiking trail. And I can tell you, smiles all around did speak for itself. Still a hiking trail but true flow top to bottom.



A flow trail in Zermatt, wait, what?

Around Sunegga we stop again. This time not because of a mechanical but because Beat wants to show us a flow trail which is still work in progress. We feel honored, the lower part of this first flow trail in Zermatt is nearly finished and we can test it. It starts off like many flow trails, some bumps and many berms while being on a skiing slope. As soon as it turns off the slope and into the forest the trail gets funny. Full of little tabletop jumps and some bumps that were built to double it. It was actually that good that we had to push up our bikes and ride that part all over again. If the whole trail will be like that I have a good feeling about it. For once a flow trail that is aimed to be fun for advanced bikers as well.



But since Zermatt is Zermatt they don’t just create one flow trail. Planned are a total of 5 flow trails all around the valley.

And up we go again

Back in Zermatt we transfer to the next gondola that will lead us up to Schwarzsee. From here we ride another nice trail just under the Matterhorn towards z’Mutt. Feeling our hands and our bellies we stop for a proper lunch (Rösti - a dish with much cheese and potatoes) before we take on the fast Yo-Yo trail back to Zermatt.



Fluhalp - views for days and sweet mountainhut

For our last uplift of the day, we take first a cablecar and then a gondola up to Unterrothorn and are again over 3000m. However, this time we don’t ride back down to Zermatt. Fluhalp, a mountain hut just about halfway down will be our host for the next - short - night.



The Fluhalp might be the most luxurious mountain hut we ever stayed in, it even offers Wifi and there is a hot shower. But our guide didn't bring us here because of the luxurious hut, but because of its location. Fluhalp is located only a few minutes away from Stellisee. Famous for its reflection of the Matterhorn and stunning sunsets and sunrises.



After a few hours sleep we got up at 5am and rode our bikes down to Stellisee to enjoy what became a truly marvellous sunrise. Clouds were hanging around the Matterhorn but this made the experience even better.


Europaweg from Zermatt to Täsch

After nature's morning show-off at sunrise, we went back to Fluhalp for a proper breakfast before we moved on to ride a part of the infamous 'Europaweg' from Zermatt to Täsch. This hiking trail is very popular amongst hikers and it helps a lot to start early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The big chunk of the trail winds down along the mountains without losing too much altitude. Just the last part form Europaweg down to Täsch is steeper and full of fun switchbacks in a pine forest. The views towards Zermatt, the Matterhorn and the surrounding peaks are stunning all along the Europaweg. But have a look yourself.





Zermatt you surprised us once more - we will be back!

Unfortunately, we have to leave the group early and can’t spend another night in Zermatt. But that gives us one more reason to come back. There are so many trails we heard of but didn’t ride yet. See you soon Zermatt!



For more stories from us, head over to our blog: Outsideisfree

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