Hörnlihütte

The Hörnlihütte is the starting point for the ascent of the Matterhorn. But it is also the start of a breathtaking and very challenging singletrail descent to Zermatt.

Description

To the Hörnli hut at the top station of the Schwarzsee cable car. You sit in the saddle for a short stretch, after which the bike rests on your shoulders for a while. The path up to the Hörnli ridge is easy to do on foot, but only a few sections can be ridden. Once the ridge is reached, an excellent, largely flat section of trail follows until the junction, where the path becomes steeper again. From here, it looks as if the trail will be impossible to ride downhill later on - too steep, too rocky, too dangerous. Novices leave their bikes here - but regret it later. On the ascent to the Hörnlihütte, however, the bike remains on your shoulders. Once you have reached your destination, a long break is in order. The hut is located right at the foot of the Matterhorn - a fantastic sight.

Then it's time for the descent. The first part of the trail is very technical but easy to ride for experienced alpine mountain bikers. As soon as you switch to the north-facing section, it becomes even more difficult, with some sections having to be tackled on foot. But on the whole: It's worth hauling your bike up to the Hörnlihütte. The highlight, however, comes with the north-facing descent to Stafel. The path through the huge scree field is fun to ride and gets even better after crossing a small road. In Stafel, you switch to the valley side of the Zmuttbach stream and return to Zermatt on a wonderful singletrail via Zmutt and Herbrigg.

Beware: there are many hikers along the entire route. The tour should be tackled with caution, especially in high season.

Tip: The tour becomes a once-in-a-lifetime experience if you combine it with an ascent of the Matterhorn. To do this, book a local mountain guide and lug your bike to the hut the evening before. In the early hours of the morning, you then head to the summit and then back to Zermatt by bike.

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Details of the tour

18 km

760 m

1725 m

1607 above sea level

3247 above sea level

1 day

Zermatt