The route leading from the Trockener Steg mountain railway station, by the Schwarzsee lake and on through the ZˈMutt dam, to the next mountain station Furi, is a fantastic trail that will give you plenty of unforgettable experiences.

We reached Trockener Steg (2ˈ929 m) by the “Matterhorn Express” mountain railway directly from Zermatt.

The rugged, rocky landscape

At this elevation you will be greeted by a harsh, rocky landscape and the Theodulgletscher and Furgggletscher glaciers. However, the well-known Matterhorn peak (4ˈ478 m) comes to the fore in this mountain panorama. The view of it from various sides will accompany you along the entire route.

On the first section leading to the Hirli station, signs have been placed along the trail providing information about, among other things, the plants that grow at these heights, the animals living in the area, the geology of the place, the glaciers and the rocks found here.

Beyond Schwarzsee, the landscape changes to a greener one. Here, vegetation already densely covers the mountain slopes.

Zmuttgletscher glacier

The trail continues towards the Zmuttgletscher glacier, named after the summer settlement of Zmutt. You will be able to see it from above, after passing through the dam.

It is very peaceful and picturesque on this section. You can see numerous mountain streams and waterfalls all around.

After the hydroelectric power station, the trail continues along the green mountainside back to Furi station. Along the way you pass small huts made of wood and stone.

In these regions, the sight of stone slabs covering the roofs of houses is natural and common.

Stone quartzite roofs

These stone roof tiles used to be made from quartzite, which was mined right in the canton of Wallis. It was called Kalpetran quartzite after the name of the Kalpetran railway station in Mattertal, where the stone was loaded onto wagons.

ZˈMutt Dam

Hiking along the Zmutt stream you will reach yet another attraction on this trail, the ZˈMutt High Dam. It was built between 1961 and 1964 and measures 74 metres high. The view down the middle of the dam can make you dizzy.

This artificial reservoir is connected via tunnels hollowed out of the rocks to the giant Grande Dixence dam. It is 285 metres high and its wall at the base is 200 metres wide. This dam is located on the other side of the mountain range, high above the village of Sion (“Thyon – Grande Dixence”).

The final section of the route and additional information

After so many impressions, a leisurely walk to the Furi station and a further descent by cable car to Zermatt awaits you at the end.

I should add that on this route you can eat at the cable car stations and also at Stafelalp, in the newly built Matthiol restaurant tucked away in the middle of nature.

As for the paths on the route, in my opinion they are wide enough to feel safe and secure.