It was snowing when we left Lauterbrunnen, and the snow went on getting harder. We were supposed to meet our friend at Visp (entry station to Zermatt) at 2PM, but we ended up being delayed by 2 hours – we didn’t get down the train on time at another transit station. Second day’s lesson: trains are on time, before it’s your stop – be ready.
1. Red in White
2. Scenes from Middle Earth
By the time we got to Zermatt, the snow did calm down leaving a steel-grey overcast sky. We wanted to stay as close as we can to the Matterhorn, so we booked a night at the Gornergrat Kulm hotel at the altitude of 3,120m. The hotel was located at the terminal station of Gornergrat railway and it was one of the most expensive room we’ve ever stayed at. (I guess bills to pay for getting everything up that high to build the place.) I’ve seen many inspiring photos of Matterhorn and the last train station under the stars – and I was hopeful. The sky faded to a pale greyish blue on our way up to Gornergrat by the time we were at the top – snow started falling again.
3. The View Outside Kulm Hotel
(The shy Matterhorn is supposed to be just behind the station)
(The shy Matterhorn is supposed to be just behind the station)
I got up at midnight with the hope that the weather would clear up and it did, just not around the matterhorn. I guess forecasting is tricky when you’re at 3100m. As luck would have it, we didn’t get to see the Matterhorn that night – or the following day. That night however, was filled with constellations.
4. The Hotel Observatory under the Stars
5. Clear Sky Above
6.Hiding behind Clouds
7. On the way Down Gornergrat Railway
Zermatt was a fairy-tale town. Pandemic or not, the walkable car free city was lively. Clouds covered part of the sky for the rest of the evening – but it was definitely getting clearer. Zermatt, at 1608m, was surprisingly colder than Lauterbrunnen. Kirchbrücke would’ve made a good foreground to the Matterhorn. “Perhaps tonight” I thought to myself.
8. Grand Hotel Zermatt
9. The other side of Kirchbrücke
So I chased on. When the weather cleared around 2 in the morning, I went back out at -15 c. Yes, it was freezing – but I had to see it. I went back to the bridge, where I’m sure the Mountain should exist right in front. I look forward and all I saw was a pitch black starless sky. Then it dawned on me that there were definitely stars above – just that there was a huge giant triangle blocking it in front of me. I had hope! then I temporary forgotten the cold of unfolding the tripod gloveless (sorry hands). Guten Morgen my shy friend, we finally met at last.
10. The Giant has been Watching
11. Startrails over Matterhorn
I went back for 2 hours more sleep before the sunrise call. I was excited to see how a clear Zermatt morning would feel like. We went for a 15 minutes morning hike up toward a viewpoint on Muirini road that overlook Zermatt and Matterhorn. (If you’re ever in Zermatt, please, don’t miss it.) We watched the blue sky saturating while the incandescent glow from the town faded. And we stayed from the alpine glow til the sun risen passed the jagged horizon behind us. It was a magnificent morning. We counted our blessings, even when weather didn’t follow the plan at Schiltorn and Gornergrat, it was all worth it. That was our last night in switzerland, before we headed down to Italy. “So long snowy landscapes – we will see you soon.”
12. Zermatt’s Blue
13. Twilight on the Pyramid
14. North Face’s Panorama
