Hohbalmen 1A. Zermatt to the waterfall and Hohbalmen

[past my sell by date]

The terrain to the South and East of Zermatt is covered by a mass of (in Summer) very ugly ski paraphernalia, but to the North and West the ground is much too steep for skiing and there are a number of scenic paths - notably that over the Hohbalmen - high meadows. To get to the start you head West beyond the village of Zmutt to a very obvious waterfall.
You can also take the lift from Zermatt to Schwartzee and walk down to the waterfall saving about an hour - as I get older I find it a better option but that's in part 1B

The waterfall - visible from afar - is in fact artificial, the stream being channelled over the top of the cliff
I have done this walk in both directions many many times over the last fifteen years or so, and photos are from different times.

Map of the two routes - from Zermatt village and from Schwartzee
There are innumerable ways to start from Zermatt but probably the nicest is to follow the signs to Kalbermatten - head up R in the centre of the village - as it takes you past these lovely old buildings.

The upper part of the Mattertal has a wonderful selection of flowers. With the Matterhorn having at one time been on a different continent, I'm sure there are a huge variety of different soil types in the area - though I am no expert

Campanula barbata - Bearded Bellflower

Polygala alpestris - Subalpine Milkwort

Dianthus sylvestris - Wood Pink

Astralagus alpinus - Alpine milk vetch[i]

[i]There are several cafes in Zmutt - this is probably the nicest. it's a bit early for a stop on the way up, but if you're going the other way it makes a nice watering hole an hour or so before the end

From Zmutt - looking down the "ordinary" route back to Zermatt

The Kalbermatten path goes above Zmutt

Swiss cows always seem very relaxed and friendly

Sadly the little cafe at Kalbermatten closed a few years ago - I don't suppose it was ever a great money spinner
There are lots of flowers beside the path

Teucrium montanum - Mountain Germander

Gypsophila repens - Gypsophila

Gentiana prostrata - Prostrate Gentian

Helianthemum alpestris - Alpine Rock-rose

Geum retans - Creeping Avens

A bit further on, the path is officially closed due to rockfall a few years ago. - (Photo taken from above) I wouldn't like to go under it if there were melting snow, but in Summer I suspect you would be far more likely to be run down on Princess St. than come to harm here. However if you do have an accident, no-one will have any sympathy - you take your choice

The path of the righteous therefore descends 70m or so to the stream - but eventually you have to climb back up

Whereas the path of the sinners carries on

walking through the "iffy" bit

A few metres further on however, what looks like a middle path bears L - I've not investigated it

Soon after you come out at the foot of the waterfall

At the foot of the fall the Dent d'Herens appears L of the Tiefenmattenjoch


At the waterfall the hard work begins

A steep zigzag track takes you up to a relatively flat area above the waterfall

looking back through the fall

the stream above

A wider view - looking up the valley

Looking back again

A wider view of the stream

North face of the Matterhorn in its full glory

Looking the other way towards Monte Rosa and The Liskamm.
The path reaches a junction (signpost) where it continues up the valley to the Schonbiel hut - but you head upwards on a long zigzag to the R followed by an even longer one back L

Two views looking on up the first zigzag

From the top of the first zigzag: looking across the "waterworks" to the path down from Schwartzee: if you don't take the "short cut" you have to make quite a detour through Stafel

Looking up the (long) second zigzag

At the top of the second zigzag lookin up towards the Ober Gabelhorn: the ridge on the L is the Arbengrat and the little Arben bivouac is on one of the rocky lumps in the glacier

A few metres up an R and you emerge at the start of the Hobalmen