Past Blast: The Matterhorn

View from Zermatt

While Americans may become familiar with the Matterhorn via an amusement park ride, the 14,690 ft summit is actually one of the most dangerous peaks to climb in the Alps. Alas, we only hiked from the nearby Swiss town of Zermatt to the glacier at the Matterhorn's base. The four-sided peak has a way of repeatedly dramatically-revealing itself, both in the winding streets of Zermatt and the other nearby Alpine villages, and as the trails make their way past small streams and ski slopes.

Zermatt- nestled in an Alpine valley

While the hiking itself is nice and quiet, there is an almost-constant rumbling of mini-avalanches down the steep faces of the Alps. Kind of neat to watch small streams of snow pour over the top edges and appear to be a short-term waterfall. Our day of hiking was filled with sunshine, and was only missing a yodeler or two to complete the Swiss experience.

Know where to go

The Freshmaker