Matterhorn Climb
Matterhorn Ascent
The Alps: Switzerland, Italy
Climb the Normal Route via the Hoernli Hut, Zermatt, or the more difficult Lion’s Ridge from Italy.
Highlights:
– The Alps’ most famous peak
– One night in a hut above 3200m
– Breathtaking views from the summit
– Great way to end a trip to the Alps
– Enjoy Zermatt!
The Matterhorn is one of the most famous peaks in the Alps, standing at 4,478m, towering above Zermatt in the Swiss Valais. It has been climbed first by Edward Whymper via the Hoernli Ridge in 1865.
Like Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn is one of THE classics to climb in the Alps. It is a mountain not to be underestimated, as even the ‘normal’ route via the Hoernli ridge requires stamina and good technical climbing skills.
Even experienced climbers should consider hiring an IFMGA qualified mountain guide for the climb.
The main season for the Matterhorn tends to be from Mid-July to Mid August, but even then summer storms can render the mountain to winter conditions, which makes the Matterhorn unclimbable for most recreational climbers.
If you don’t have any prior climbing experience, we highly recommend participating in our Mont Blanc Mountaineering Course or our Haute Route Glacier Trek before considering doing a Matterhorn ascent.
Difficulty:
Up to 12 hrs/day
Stamina required!
Exposed Ridge
Rock/Ice/Snow
Frontpointing
Rock climbing skills
Dates:
Custom Dates
available anytime:
July – September
Price:
US$ 1700
Group Size:
1 Client per Guide
It is an excellent preparation for the Matterhorn to do the Monte Rosa Peaks Traverse to acclimatize and review mountaineering skills.
Trip Details and Small Print – Matterhorn Ascent
Can I do it?
This is a challenging program for experienced climbers only. On both Matterhorn standard routes, it is necessary to keep to good time while climbing carefully and efficient.
You should be able to climb rock to 5.6 (UIAA grade 4) in 
mountaineering boots and possibly with crampons. You also need to be sure footed on your crampons while traveling along exposed ridges and slopes to 60 degrees in snow and ice.
The continuity of the technical terrain paired with long days requires excellent cardiovascular fitness, stamina and good acclimatization.
Travel to Zermatt:
The three closest international airports with road distances, train travel durations and fares:
Geneva: Car 235 km, 2.30 hrs. Train: 3.45 hrs, SFR 90 / person, almost hourly departures.
Zurich: Car 350 km, 3.30 hrs. Train: 4.5 hrs, SFR 120 / person, almost hourly departures
Milan: Car 230 km, 3 hrs. Train 4 hrs, Euro 80, almost every two hourly departures
Meeting Point:
To be arranged with each client individually, commonly at breakfast on the first day at your Hotel in Zermatt.
GoPro video of Hornli Ridge Climb
Climate, Weather, Temperatures:
High season for all mountaineering in the western Alps is from the beginning of July to mid-September.
Understandably, most aspiring Matterhorn climbers worry about the chances of catching a bad weather day for their ascent. Here are some hard facts to help you assess your chances from the Meteo Swiss statistics for Zermatt (Averages from 1961 – 1991):
June July August September October
Precipitation in mm 56 47 60 40 55
Number Days of Precip. 9 9 10 7 7
Temperature Average in C 10 12.5 11.7 9 4.8
The Matterhorn climb requires relatively dry conditions and quite commonly the most reliable period to catch good conditions on the mountain is mid-July to Mid August, but we have also seen seasons where the Matterhorn was only in climbable condition for 2 weeks – if even that! While September appears to be drier, new snow often lingers longer due to the colder temps.Day time temperatures can vary between 30C (86F) in the valleys to -10C (14F) on clear mornings, when we start our day from the hut.
Services Included in the Total Price:
Guiding by an internationally (UIAGM/IFMGA) certified, multilingual mountain guide or guide aspirant under supervision.
Dormitory lodging for one night in the Hornli Hut on the Swiss side, dinner & breakfast: 3-course dinner (soup, meat entree and dessert) in the hut. All cable cars and mountain trains. All guide expenses such as hut lodging, food, cable-cars.
Not Included Are:
Air fares, lunch (sandwiches, snacks can be purchased in the huts or in the valley),
drinks (beer is about US$ 6/ can, wine US$ 20 – 40 bottle), any accommodation or meals in the valley, use of technical equipment: Harness, helmet, crampons, ice axes, carabiners can be arranged for a fee.
Matterhorn Ascent – Day-to-Day Itinerary:
2 Days of mountaineering
For our Matterhorn ascents we usually use the route via the ‘Hoernli Ridge’, occassionally also the ‘Lion’s Ridge’ from Italy, which can also be done as a traverse, descending to Zermatt and Switzerland after reaching the summit.
Ascent via the ‘Hoernli Ridge’:
Day 1:
Meeting with the guide in town around mid-morning for a trip briefing, equipment check and possibly lunch together. Gondola ride via Furi to Schwarzsee, followed by a approx. 2-hour hike to the Hörnli hut (elev. 3,260 m/10,695 ft). Often, we spend the remaining hour or so to warm up on the first few meters of the climb in the afternoon, since the lower part of the route requires climbing in the dark early the next morning.
Day 2:
The Matterhorn climb is steep and exciting for 1200m vertical (4000 ft) all the way in technical terrain along the ridge that divides the impressive north from the east face. Most of the climbing will be “on a short rope”, however there are also some sections up to grade 5.5 that are commonly being pitched out, namely the slabs below the Solvey emergency shelter, which you’ll pass 2/3 up the mountain.
Above, the route steepens and fixed ropes help over sections that would otherwise rate 5.7 (UIAA 5). Ideally the rock is dry and the crampons are only required for a few shorter sections, namely for the “Dach”, the last 15 min to the summit. However, after storms or early in the season, crampons might be necessary for most of the climb, which increases the level of difficulty substantially.
With a wake up time at 4 AM, 5 -6 hours are usually budgeted for the ascent and 4 to 5 hrs for the descent. These timelines are generally strictly adhered to, as the height and the isolated position of the Matterhorn create its own micro-climate, which promotes clouds and afternoon thunderstorms and severe weather.
Clients must be able to climb fast and efficient and a high level of attentiveness is required for the entire climb.
Return to the Hoernli Hut around 2 to 3 PM for a quick break and commonly we descend back to Zermatt via Schwarzsee gondola.
We recommend making it a 3 day trip by adding a prep day training climb on the Rifflehorn or the Breithorn Traverse.
Additional fees apply.