Furka Pass (Swiss Alps)

Furka Pass (2436) is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps. For those of you, who want to explore on foot and do not afraid of walking, here are some perfect places for doing it.

The Furka Pass links Andermatt in the Canton of Uri with Gletsch in the Canton of Valais. It is part of the popular Three-Pass-Ride over the Furka, Grimsel and Susten Pass. In summer, a ride with the nostalgic Furka steam engine from Realp to Gletsch is an unforgettable experience. 

Coming from the Reuss Valley, one rides through the Schöllenen Gorge, formerly an unsurpassable bottleneck on the Gotthard route via Andermatt into the Urseren Valley and Hospen Valley, where the road over the St. Gotthard Pass begins. In the rear of the Urseren Valley near the village of Realp, the Furka Pass road’s ascent starts.

On the Valaisian side, at Hotel Bélvèdere, about three kilometers below the ridge of the Furka Pass, one can get a good view of the Rhone Glacier. 

The Rhone Glacier near the Furka pass (2431 m above sea level), is the source of the river Rhone. 

A belvedere and a hotel, located 3 km west of the Furkapass, allow the tourists to watch the Rhone Glacier from close and even to walk inside the glacier through a small tunnel dug in the ice. The tunnel must be dug again every year, since the glacier is a mass in movement.

Zermatt / Matterhorn I

The Matterhorn is more than a wonder of creation. Through its shape and its unique solitary position, it is considered to be the epitome of a mountain.

The Matterhorn was climbed for the first time on the 14th July 1865. Four of the seven men – led by the Englishman Edward Whymper – lost their lives as a result. Everyone was talking about Zermatt and the tragedy on the Matterhorn. The rope that connected Edward Whymper and father and son Taugwalder from Zermatt to the rest of the unfortunate rope group, and which broke during the descent, is displayed in the Matterhorn Museum alongside other relics of the first ascent.

Nowadays with more than 400 km of marked hiking and walking trails, Zermatt, Täsch and Randa offer a wide range of options to hiking fans. The areas in Täsch and Randa, with breathtaking views of the Weisshorn and the peaks of the Mischabel group, are recommended to those who like to walk up to higher altitudes. 

My favorite walking trails are:  

1) Matterhorn glacier trail (This unique theme route leads close by the Furgg glacier vividly revealing its history and providing walkers with interactive background information about glaciers); 

2) Matterhorn-Trail (Schwarzsee - Stafelalp - (Schönbiel) - (Furi) - Zmutt - Zermatt/ Instead of walking via the hamlet of Zmutt, you can hike from Stafelalp to Furi (approx. 50 min.) or hike to the Schönbielhütte (approx. 2 h one way). Spectacular view of the north face of the Matterhorn, the idyllic Schwarzsee lake with its chapel "Mary of the Snow"; the only alpine dairy in Zermatt is situated at Stafelalp; the pretty little hamlet of Zmutt); 

3) Hörnliweg (A mountain hiking path. The Hörnli Hut is normally the starting point for climbing the Matterhorn. The special mountain atmosphere of the Hörnli Hut, the ruggedly romantic scenery, the Matterhorn grows ever closer, the idyllic Schwarzsee lake with its chapel "Mary of the Snow".)