The Alpine region of Switzerland, conventionally referred to as the Swiss Alps, represents a major natural feature of the country and is, along with the Swiss Plateau and the Swiss portion of the Jura Mountains, one of its three main physiographic regions. The Swiss Alps extend over both the Western Alps and the Eastern Alps, encompassing an area sometimes called Central Alps. While the northern ranges from the Bernese Alps to the Appenzell Alps are entirely in Switzerland, the southern ranges from the Mont Blanc massif to the Bernina massif are shared with other countries such as France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein.
The Matterhorn is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the main watershed and border between Italy and Switzerland. It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the Pennine Alps, whose summit is 4,478 metres (14,692 ft) above sea level, making it one of the highest summits in the Alps and Europe. The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points and are split by the Hörnli, Furggen, Leone/Lion, and Zmutt ridges. The mountain overlooks the Swiss town of Zermatt, in the canton of Valais, to the northeast; and the Italian town of Breuil-Cervinia in the Aosta Valley to the south. Just east of the Matterhorn is Theodul Pass, the main passage between the two valleys on its north and south sides, which has been a trade route since the Roman Era.
The Haute Route is the name given to a route undertaken on foot or by ski touring between the Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France, and the Matterhorn, in Zermatt, Switzerland.
There are 122 municipalities in the canton of Valais, Switzerland.
The Matter Valley is located in southwestern Switzerland, south of the Rhone valley in the canton of Valais. The village of Zermatt is the most important settlement of the valley, which is surrounded by many four-thousanders, including the Matterhorn.
Grächen is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
Monte Rosa is a mountain massif in the eastern part of the Pennine Alps, on the border between Italy and Switzerland (Valais). The highest peak of the massif, amongst several peaks of over 4.000 m, is the Dufourspitze, the second highest mountain in the Alps and western Europe, after Mont Blanc. The east face of the Monte Rosa towards Italy has a height of about 2.400 meters and is the highest mountain wall of the Alps.
The Strahlhorn is a mountain of the Swiss Pennine Alps, located south of Saas-Fee and east of Zermatt in the canton of Valais. It lies on the range that separates the Mattertal from the Saastal and is located approximately halfway between the Rimpfischhorn and the Schwarzberghorn.
The Alphubel is a mountain of the Swiss Pennine Alps, located between the valleys of Zermatt and Saas in the canton of Valais. It is part of the Allalin Group, a subgroup of the Mischabel Group, which culminates at the Dom. The summit of the Alphubel consists of a large ice-covered plateau, part of the Fee Glacier on its east side. The west side of the mountain is more rocky and much steeper. It overlooks the Weingartensee.
The Zermatt-Saas zone is a tectonic unit in the western part of the Alps. Its lithology is mainly ophiolite but there are some pelitic zones too.
The Monte Rosa Hut is a mountain hut located near Zermatt on the Monte Rosa massif and above the Grenzgletscher sitting on a glacier-free rocky part called Untere Platte at an altitude of 2,883 metres (9,459 ft). It is owned by the Swiss Alpine Club. The hut is the start of the normal route to the summit and other mountains in the area. The first hut was built in 1894–1895 just next to the then still much higher Border Glacier at an altitude of 2,795 metres (9,170 ft). A completely new building was inaugurated in 2009, a hi-tech, energy-wise almost self-sufficient, environmentally friendly mountain hut based on wood with an aluminium shell.
The Vignettes Hut is an alpine hut, located south of Arolla in the Swiss canton of Valais. It lies at a height of 3,160 metres above sea level, at the foot of the Pigne d'Arolla and near the Col de Chermotane in the Pennine Alps. All accesses to the hut involve glacier crossing.
The Europa Hut is a mountain hut located in the Mattertal above Randa in the Mischabel range at 2,265 m, owned by the Swiss Alpine Club. It lies on the Grächen-Zermatt high trail, called Europaweg. From the hut a trail leads to the Dom Hut, on the normal route to the Dom.
The Lysjoch is a very high pass at 4,151 metres (13,619 ft) in the Alps between Italy and Switzerland. It is located east of the Lyskamm and west of the Ludwigshöhe, a subsidiary summit of Monte Rosa, and makes up the watershed between the Gorner Glacier and the Lys Glacier. Just west of the pass is the Entdeckungsfels, a rock emerging from the ice. The pass connects the valleys of Zermatt on the north side to the valley of Gressoney on the south side.
The Balfrin Höhenweg is a high level footpath in Switzerland between Grächen and Saas-Fee and is part of the Monte Rosa tour. It is also known as Grächen–Saas Fee Höhenweg.
The Monte Rosa is a hotel, located in the main street of Zermatt. It was frequented by the members of the Alpine Club, including Edward Whymper who made the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. The hotel is named after the highest mountain near Zermatt, Monte Rosa.
Andreas Steindl is a Swiss mountain climber, ski mountaineer and mountain guide.
Elizabeth Hawker is a British endurance athlete. Her career highlights include five wins at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB), as well as the 2006 IAU 100 km World Championships. She is a former world record-holder at the 24 hour distance. She has also worked as an oceanographer and climate change researcher.
The Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge is the third longest hanging bridge for pedestrian use in the world. It is located in Randa, Switzerland and replaced the defunct Europabrücke, which had been damaged by a rock slide. The bridge spans 494 meters, and upon its inauguration on 30 July 2017 became the longest suspension bridge built for pedestrian travel. The bridge runs 85 metres above the ground at its highest point. It employs 8 tonnes of cables, and has a system that prevents it from swinging. The bridge is part of Europaweg, a hiking path between the Swiss villages of Zermatt and Grächen.
The Vispa is a river in the canton of Valais, located in the Visp area. It is essentially composed of two large branches: the Matter Vispa and the Saaser Vispa, converging at Stalden, then forming the Vispa proper, flowing for less than 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) before converging with the Rhône at Visp. The Vispa is a left and major affluent of the Rhône, before it enters Lake Geneva.
