The theatre of nineteen
Four-thousanders ringing the terrace — the Alps' densest summit crowd.
Andrew Bossi, clipped and more contrast by Herzi Pinki — CC BY-SA 2.5 · Bob Tan — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fiver, der Hellseher — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fiver, der Hellseher — CC BY-SA 4.0
Clear and still are its conditions: early morning before the noon breezes crease the mirror — the summer dawn trains exist literally for this. Alight Rotenboden, descend the path ten minutes: the small lake lies left, the classic angle from its far bank. Wind betrayed you? The second Riffelsee minutes below sometimes stills while the first ruffles.
Your ticket stops you at will: Rotenboden–Riffelberg is the famous easy meadow hour with the pyramid as constant companion (prams pass with effort), Riffelberg–Riffelalp scented stone-pine woods — and Riffelalp's legendary terrace tea before the closing train. The loved formula: summit first, then stations descending by turns of foot and rail.
Among its finest editions: the train runs all year, the terrace is swept, snow doubles the theatre's white — and the restaurants glow. The lake sleeps under ice, compensated by the summit igloo and the packed snow-paths to Riffelberg. Real cold, so full kit — at half summer's crowd.
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Since 1898 the red rack train has climbed from Zermatt's heart to 3,089 metres — the world's first fully electrified cog railway and still its loveliest: three quarters of an hour from forest to bare rock with the Matterhorn growing in your window station by station. The summit is an observatory and terraces on 'the greatest Alpine theatre': nineteen four-thousanders around you, the Gorner glacier — the Alps' second longest — pouring its white rivers below, Monte Rosa, Switzerland's roof, opposite. And on the way down, Rotenboden station serves the famous ten-minute stroll: the Riffelsee, where the pyramid reflects whole on calm mornings — Switzerland's first photograph, taken by yourself. Trains every 24 minutes, no seat booking — sit right going up for the mountain — and freedom between stations on the descent is the game: two trails, meadows, lakes.
Four-thousanders ringing the terrace — the Alps' densest summit crowd.
The pyramid mirrored whole on calm mornings — the photo known before taken.
The mother of electric cogs working in elegance — heritage itself carrying you up.
The Alps' second pours its rivers directly below the terrace.
Bahnhofplatz, 3920 Zermatt