The Matterhorn is possibly the most famous of the peaks located in the Swiss Pennine Alps, in the Zermatt Valley. Straddling the border between Italy and Switzerland, the iconic Alpine shard is a recognisable landmark the world over. Spending time here always feels special. So, here are five amazing Matterhorn facts you might not have known:

 

Skiing All Year Round

 

When looking for facts about the Matterhorn, one that most miss out on is to do with the Alpine giant’s incredible reliability. The weather on the mountain can fluctuate greatly but skiing conditions abound all year. With a combined total of 145 slopes and an early season average snow depth of 159cm, that’s a lot of room to enjoy yourself and one big reason why the area is popular for tourists but never feels too crowded!

 

The Wildlife is Incredible 

 

The name Matterhorn literally translates to ‘peak of the meadows’ in German. In French and Italian, the mountain is referred to as Mont Cervin and Monte Cervino, respectively. This translates to ‘deer’s antlers’ and takes its name from the Red Deer found on the mountainside. The area is also home to a further impressive array of wildlife, including marmots, wolves and ibex. This is partly due to the varied conditions across the mountainside, where on a trek you’ll be able to cover ancient routes, connecting several countries, spanning forests, meadows and glacial crossings. 

 

It’s Steeped in History

 

You can’t discover Matterhorn facts without learning about the summit’s tragic past. The peak has sadly claimed the lives of over 500 climbers. In fact, the first recorded expedition of the Matterhorn in 1865 was fraught with loss. Four of the six man team perished on the initial descent of the mountain and were later accused of foul play, although this was never proved. 150 years after this first ascent, in 2015, a commemoration was held in Zermatt where all climbs were prohibited as a mark of solemn respect. Conversely, the first direct ascent of the Italian summit in 1876 was by Lucy Walker, who impressively completed this in a white print dress. How? Beats us!

 

The Fastest Climb Was Under 4 Hours

 

The record for the fastest climb goes to Swiss climber, Andreas Steindel, who in 2018 set the unbelievable time of 3 hours 59 minutes and 52 seconds. To put that in context, that means he climbed 4,577.5 metres above sea level in half a working day. Astoundingly, he beat his previous record by a whopping twenty minutes!

 

It’s a Pop Culture Icon

 

The Matterhorn has become a stalwart of pop culture over the last 100 years, most famously being depicted on the Toblerone logo. Next to this, the mountain has been subjected to many forms of imitation over the years with seven mountains across the world being named after it, i.e. Matterhorn peak in Colorado and Little Matterhorn in Australia - as well as several which have been nicknamed after the famous mountain like Grand Teton, affectionately referred to as the Matterhorn of America. Of course, we’d be remiss to leave out the Matterhorn Bobsleds in Disneyland California! It really goes to show the incredible reach of this one of a kind peak. One that truly has to be seen to be believed.