Nordwand Trail leads practically under the north face of the Matterhorn. The rock wall, dark and mighty, dominates the landscape. The feeling of wading over the snow under the iconic peak is unlike any other. The trail leads from Schwarzsee, at the foot of the north face of the Matterhorn, through the gorgeous landscape around Stafelalp. It is hard to believe that mountaineers have scaled the north face of the Matterhorn in winter such as Walter Bonatti in 1965, who climbed along. The cold at the north face is almost tangible. Even though this trail’s difficulty is medium, hikers who choose this trail must choose time of day carefully, since the sun disappears very early in winter and palpable cold descends after sunset. Also please check for current avalanche risk at lift stations. In order to keep on the trail, just follow the pink markers that is along the route approximately every 100 meters. This magnificent trail starts at Schwarzsee and ends at Stafelalp with total distance of 3.46 kilometers taking approximately an hour. The highest point on this trail is at 2579 meters with an ascent of 30 meters and descent of 421 meters.
White Magic Trail is a bit of a challenging snowshoe hike depending on snow conditions. The route leads 741 vertical meters down the mountain. But walkers efforts are well rewarded with the view over the village of Zermatt which is absolutely magical. The trail first leads over the pastures of Alp Hermetji before entering sparse woodland, where cute chamois may be seen depending on time of day. In winter, these mammals have a thick, shaggy coat which makes them even cuter. Hikers who sit down for a while and remain still might be able to spot these chamois, although chamois do not move a great deal in winter. You may spot these cute animals on the gondola ride to Schwarzsee if you’re lucky. But please remember not to disturb these beautiful alpine creatures and try to stay on the track by following the pink pole which is marked on the route approximately every 100 meters. This wonderful trail where you may spot the wild animals start at Schwarzsee and ends at Furi with total distance of 3.98 kilometers taking approximately an hour and 30 minutes. The highest point on this trail is at 2570 meters with an ascent of 84 meters and descent of 790 meters.
