Final leg of the Haute Route

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Geo: 46.0193, 7.74603

Sean checking in here.

As the weather continued to improve, Aaron and I became more committed to finishing the Haute Route per Kev Reynold's guide by walking all the way to Zermatt. The last stretch from St Nicklaus is described as a long 18km along the valley floor using a combination of old roads, service roads, and trails to cover the distance. Altogether, it was supposed to be 5+ hours of walking and we (including the girls somewhat reluctantly) set out from the hotel at about 9:30.

As promised in the guidebook, we quickly learned this would be a bit more urban than our previous hikes as we stayed within a stones throw of the railroad track from the beginning. We took in some of the sights in the small towns we passed (such as Randa and Tasch) and observed waterfalls pouring off the surrounding mountains from all of the previous rain we had experienced firsthand. As the miles passed by, we stopped periodically for snacks and to gauge our progress on maps and in the guidebook. Compared to previous hikes, this one lacked some of the visual intrigue, but there were small glimpses of the towering peaks around us and the promise of the Matterhorn that kept spurring us on.

After almost 7 hours of walking, we rounded a corner and caught our first glimpse of Zermatt as light rain started to fall. Upon entering the main part of town, we were greeted with throngs of tourists and far more activity than we had seen in the previous towns. I must confess feeling a brief onset of claustrophobia as I adjusted to the busyness compared to the previous solitude we had felt in the mountains. Although cars are not allowed in Zermatt, seemingly every hotel had a small electric vehicle that would careen through the street and scatter tourists as it passed. Shops such as the North Face, Jack Wolfskin, and other high end retailers entice shoppers with large displays.

After navigating the streets, we found our lodging and dumped our packs to much relieve. We cleaned up and then headed back into town where we window shopped, ate, and got ideas for how to spend our next couple of days. Oh, and a little mountain decided to make an appearance - the Matterhorn!!!

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Comments

[Danny Gatfield]

That looks cool!

[egatfield]

It was incredibly cool, especially when the clouds cleared to reveal all of the surrounding mountains! Erin will have a lot of pics to show off when we return.

[Molly]

In 2002 I, too, entered Zermatt - on a train. :-)