Klein Matterhorn

Klein Matterhorn
	Cable car to the Klein Matterhorn, Zermatt
height	3883 m above sea level M.
location	Canton of Valais , Switzerland
Mountains	Valais Alps
Dominance	0.84 km → Breithorn
Notch height	88 m ↓ northwest. Breithorn plateau
Coordinates	622 576 / 87458 coordinates: 45 ° 56 '18 " N , 7 ° 43' 47" O ; CH1903: 622,576 / 87458
First ascent	by Horace-Bénédict de Saussure
Development	1979 Zermatt cable car

The Klein Matterhorn ( 3883 m above sea level ) is a mountain in the Valais Alps .

It marks the western end of the mountain range that stretches from Monte Rosa towards the Theodulpass and is separated from the (Gross) Matterhorn by the Theodulpass .

The mountain is the starting point for many mountain tours, for example to the Breithorn , Castor , Pollux or the starting point for year-round skiing on the Theodul Glacier . In January / February temperatures around -35 ° C are not uncommon. In summer it hardly gets warmer than around +5 ° C.

Cableways

Cable car

Since December 23, 1979, the Klein Matterhorn can be reached by aerial cableway from Zermatt via the intermediate station called Trockener Steg ( 2930 m ). A tunnel leads from the mountain station ( 3820 m ) to the glacier plateau to the south and thus to the ski area that is marketed by the Zermatt mountain railways as the Matterhorn glacier paradise . In the middle of the tunnel, a lift and stairs lead to the actual summit ( 3883 m ). On the viewing platform there you have an enormous view and a 360 ° panoramic view of the surrounding peaks of the Swiss, Italian and French Alps.

With the construction of this cable car, the Klein Matterhorn has taken the Aiguille du Midi (3842 m), a few meters lower, down from the highest point in the Alps that can be reached by cable car.

The aerial tramway was built by Von Roll , the two cabins for 100 people each were supplied by CWA. It has a height difference of 890 m and a sloping length of 3671 m with two suspension ropes and a pull rope. The three cable car pillars are quite close to one another above the Trockener Steg station. The span that follows up to the mountain station is so long that the cabins initially lose height after the last support until they begin the increasingly steep climb to the mountain station. At 2,885 m, it is the longest span in Switzerland. The hangers of the cabins therefore consist of a very high steel grid construction. The running gear has 12 rollers per suspension cable, for a total of 24 rollers. The train travels at a speed of max. 8 m / s (28.8 km / h) and thus achieves a conveying capacity of max. 600 people per hour.

Because of the rapid ascent, sensitive people often experience headaches and other symptoms of altitude sickness .

3S train

Another way to get to the Klein Matterhorn is the new 3S cable car. It has been built since April 2016 and opened on September 29, 2018. It was built on 100 days each summer. It is the highest 3S cable car in the world and runs parallel to today's cable car from the Trockener Steg to the Klein Matterhorn. The transport capacity was increased by 2000 people per hour and year-round rail operation is now possible. The lift consists of 25 cabins with 28 seats each, the cab manufacturer is SIGMA, the design comes from Pininfarina. The travel time is about 9 minutes at 7.5 m / s.

Ski Area

The Klein Matterhorn is part of the Zermatt ski area, which is open all year round. The summer ski area of Zermatt is the largest and highest of its kind in Europe.

The Gobba di Rollin , a few hundred meters south of the Klein Matterhorn, on the border between Italy and Switzerland , is at 3899 m the highest point in a European ski area. From there a direct descent into the ski area of Breuil-Cervinia is possible via the Plateau Rosa or the Theodulpass .

Summit restaurant

For the 2008/2009 winter season, a tourist infrastructure was completed just below the summit, including a restaurant and alpine accommodation. The building was constructed in accordance with the Minergie P passive house energy standard . In 2015 the restaurant and souvenir shop were redesigned.

Glacier Palace

A newly installed elevator leads directly from the restaurant to the highest glacier palace in the world. This is around 15 meters below the surface of the glacier. In the palace, the glacier with its crevasses can be visited in an impressive way . In addition, artistically designed ice sculptures are exhibited.

Projects

In 2006 there was a competition in Zermatt to beautify and modernize the Klein Matterhorn, since apart from a snack vending machine there was no restaurant here before. The artist Heinz Julen suggested constructing a glass pyramid with a hotel and restaurant with a glass ramp above it up to a viewing platform at 4000 m. This would give Zermatt another 39 four-thousand-meter peaks. In addition, this building should be realized according to the most modern standards of technology with regard to self-sufficient water and energy supply. However, since this idea was not implemented, the decision was made instead to go to a restaurant with overnight accommodation for mountaineers on the south side of the Klein Matterhorn on the Breithorn plateau.

Additional mountain railway

Zermatt Bergbahnen AG is planning another mountain railway on the Klein Matterhorn. A connection from the Testa Grigia to the Klein Matterhorn is planned for the near future . Two variants are currently being examined: a continuation of the 3S-Bahn or an aerial tramway operated independently of the 3S-Bahn. Both variants manage without supports. The capacity depends on which variant is ultimately chosen. This facility will also connect the ski areas in Switzerland and Italy. (Planned completion: 2021)