Höhbalmen
Description
In Zermatt, you climb through the Winkelmatten on the little road up to Furi and then continue over the Zmuttbach towards the Zmutt Glacier. Now you climb up the steep single trail towards Höhbalmen-Hocheben. Most mountain bikers push their bikes here, but really fit riders manage to ride almost the entire ascent. The high trail over the Höhbalmen belongs in the super category. It's worth stopping every now and then to admire the Matterhorn. It is particularly impressive from this perspective. After Höhbalmen, the steep descent to the Trifthütte begins and then the very technical singletrail along the Triftbach back to Zermatt. The rough and high-alpine descent is only recommended for very good mountain bikers.
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Details of the tour
22 km
1180 m
1180 m
1 day
Zermatt
Zermatt
1508
not suitable
More information
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User comments (7)
Note: This content has been automatically translated from German. Please report any incorrect translations.
We rode the tour in mid-August, but also pushed up briefly from the Trift mountain guesthouse and took the trail with the avalanche structures. The panoramic views are definitely gourmet :) and the Höhbalmen trail is great fun. The trail after the Berggasthaus Trift is also fun and requires more hairpin bend technique. From my point of view, however, it is definitely black in the middle and not red, as shown on the map. At least when I compare it with other red trails.
The dramaturgy of this tour could not be better for a mountain biker. During the ascent, the "Horu" reveals itself in all perspectives surrounded by majestic nature. After a long ascent to the Höhbalmen plateau, an incomparable Alpine panorama reveals itself. Amazed and open-mouthed, you almost forget to drink ;-) The Matterhorn seems close enough to touch.
The descent to the Trifthütte is a good first counterpoint to the initial visual feast for the palate and the numerous hairpin bends are great fun.
!!! Caution !!! The trail down along the Triftbach is closed due to heavy flooding. Alternatively, you climb another 150 m and, surprise, surprise, you get another fantastic view of the Matterhorn and all the four-thousand-metre peaks before riding down the Recheten to Zermatt. The path has been freshly made and seems to have been widened to make it suitable for baby carriages, especially at the start. Yes, less technical but more speed and flow. The flow is put to the test again and again by the numerous water ditches. But now comes a trail and hairpin bend finale in a class of its own.
Conclusion: For me, this is one of the most beautiful, flowing trails I have ever ridden!
I can only agree with Philpp and Matheijsen: super tour, gigantic panorama, trail really great.
But: the ascent to the plateau is absolutely unrideable - even for pros! It's more like a 300-meter carrying passage.
Nevertheless: a great tour!
Did the tour in 2020. Panorama is top, the description is not. It would be more honest to write that the path down from Trifthütte is not rideable, I don't think it's rideable at all. Carrying passage would be the right wording here.
The trail down from the Trifthütte is quite feasible from your own experience, but as mentioned in the text: very technical, rough and high alpine, therefore only recommended for very good mountain bikers. Alternatively, you can ascend a little from the Trifthütte and descend to Zermatt via the Recheten. This is somewhat easier in terms of riding technique but also very demanding.
Did the tour on 28.07.22. The panorama is absolutely gigantic!!! The passage to the Höbalmen plateau is unrideable even for me!!! Nobody rides up there just like that... after that, the panorama of the Matterhorn is indescribable. We couldn't stop being amazed. The trail from the Trifthütte is really tough - some of it is really exposed and the hairpin bends are extremely technical. All in all, an exceptional mountain bike tour!!!
Very beautiful tour, unbeatable panorama, excellent trails. Somewhat technical in places, suitable for very good riders.
In my opinion, the ascent towards the Höhbalmen plateau is not rideable, not even for "really fit riders" as mentioned in the description - I'd like to see them ride up there...;-) But the ascent is worth it, the panorama more than compensates for the carrying passage!
Recommendation: Take the cable car to Schwarzsee and then down to Staffelalp and start the route from there.