Klein Matterhorn (3,883 m), Glacier Paradise and 3S Cableway Guide

Seven kilometres east of the Matterhorn across the Theodul Pass, the sharp rocky horn of the Klein Matterhorn (Little Matterhorn) marks the western end of the Breithorn ridge at 3,883 metres above sea level. Linked to Zermatt by a multi-stage gondola and aerial cableway corridor via Furi and Trockener Steg, its summit terrace is the highest point in Europe reachable by aerial cableway.

Initial Stage: Riding the Matterhorn Express to Trockener Steg (2,939 m)

The ascent begins at the southern end of the village (1,620 metres) aboard the eight-seat Matterhorn Express gondola, which climbs via Furi (1,867 metres), Schwarzsee (2,583 metres), and Furgg to the glacier-edge interchange station of Trockener Steg at 2,939 metres.

The 1979 Aerial Tramway and the 2,885-Metre Free Span

After receiving federal construction approval on 17 December 1973, crews worked between August 1976 and 1979 in winds exceeding 100 km/h and winter temperatures down to -40 °C to build the Von Roll aerial tramway from Trockener Steg up to the north face of the Klein Matterhorn (mountain station at 3,820 metres). Opened on 23 December 1979 with two 100-passenger cabins, the 3,671-metre line climbs 890 vertical metres and crosses a free span of 2,885 metres between its final support tower and the cliffside terminal, the longest single cableway span in Switzerland.

The 2018 3S Tricable Gondola and 2023 Matterhorn Alpine Crossing

To eliminate wind closures and queues, Zermatt Bergbahnen inaugurated the Matterhorn Glacier Ride Phase One on 29 September 2018: the highest 3S (tricable) gondola in the world, running parallel to the 1979 tramway from Trockener Steg to Klein Matterhorn in nine minutes inside 25 heated, 28-seat Pininfarina cabins supported by just three towers up to 198 metres above the glacier. On 1 July 2023, the companion Matterhorn Glacier Ride Phase OneI 3S cableway opened across the Theodul Glacier without a single intermediate tower to Testa Grigia (3,480 metres) on the Italian border above Breuil-Cervinia, completing the continuous Matterhorn Alpine Crossing.

Summit Platform (3,883 m), Glacier Palace and Breithorn

From the 3,820-metre mountain station, a rock tunnel leads through the peak to the southern snow plateau. Halfway along the tunnel, an internal lift and short stairway ascend to the 3,883-metre summit viewing platform, which takes in 38 four-thousand-metre peaks across Switzerland, Italy, and France, including an unfamiliar, sharp-angled profile of the Matterhorn just 7 kilometres west and the white dome of the Breithorn (4,164 metres) directly overhead. Fifteen metres below the glacier surface sits the walk-through Glacier Palace (Gletscher-Palast) ice grotto, while outside stretches Europe's highest summer ski area up to the Gobba di Rollin (3,899 metres).

High-Altitude Pacing

Because air pressure at 3,883 metres is roughly two-thirds of sea-level pressure, walk slowly on the summit stairs, dress in winter layers even in July, and compare the western glacier view with the eastern panorama from Gornergrat.

Even on a warm July afternoon when hikers in the village are walking in light shirts, temperatures on the high glacier terrace hover near freezing and snow squalls can sweep across the ridge at short notice. Taking a few quiet minutes inside the mountain station before climbing the final stairs to the open viewing platform helps your breathing settle in the thin air and makes the experience far more comfortable.

Inside the Sub-Glacial Ice Grotto and Year-Round Snow Plateau

Descending by lift and walkway into the sub-glacial ice grotto lets you walk inside the living body of the glacier well below the surface snowfields. Lit by soft coloured lamps that highlight compacted layers of ancient firn ice, entrapped air bubbles, and hand-carved ice sculptures, the tunnel maintains a constant sub-zero temperature throughout the year. Keep your jacket zipped and wear shoes with non-slip soles, as the matted floor walks through genuine glacier ice before returning you to the heated viewing lounge and cinema room.

Stepping out from the southern portal of the rock tunnel onto the bright snow plateau reveals why this high saddle serves as a summer training ground for international ski teams and a popular starting point for guided mountaineering ascents of the neighbouring snow dome. Because the snowfield sits so high along the main Alpine watershed, winter skiing connects smoothly across the border pass toward the Italian valley slopes, while pedestrian ticket holders can walk out onto a groomed snow area to look across the sunlit southern glaciers.

Ticket Options, Weather Checks and Pairing with Schwarzsee

Because the multi-stage cableway climb represents a major high-altitude excursion, always inspect the live summit wind and visibility displays at the valley station or consult our seasonal weather guide before boarding. Clear mornings with light winds provide the sharpest views toward Mont Blanc in the west and the Gran Paradiso in the south. On your descent from the glacier saddle, break your journey at the intermediate gondola station of Schwarzsee to walk beside the lakeside chapel under the direct rock wall of the Matterhorn, or continue down to Furi to walk through the Gorner Gorge back into the village.

Watching the tricable cabins glide silently across the vast expanse of ice between Trockener Steg and the upper cliff face is an engineering spectacle in its own right. From the intermediate terrace at Trockener Steg, you can also step outside onto the rocky moraine edge to view the lower glacier tongue and browse information displays explaining how high-alpine cableways are anchored into permafrost rock walls at extreme altitude.

Notice how differently the Matterhorn appears from this high eastern vantage point compared with the familiar village view: instead of a slender symmetrical obelisk, the mountain presents its broad southern and eastern shoulders dropping steeply toward the Italian border ridge, while the glaciated crest of the Breithorn rises right beside the cableway terrace. Allowing half a day for the round trip gives you ample time to visit the summit platform, explore the ice tunnel, pause at the mountain restaurant, and step off at the intermediate stations on your way back down to the valley floor. Because sunlight reflecting off the high snowfields is intense in every month of the year, high-protection sunglasses and lip balm are essential items in your daypack.