UKH

Just saw this fascistic statement on the new hornli hutte website.

"Wild camping and bivouacking is not allowed around the Matterhorn at heights of 2,880 meters above sea level or higher. Anyone who violates this law will face fines of up to CHF 5,000.00 from the Commune of Zermatt."

Has anybody tested this theory, or is it not enforced like camping on the vallee blanche? I presume 2880m is the height of the top cable car.

In reply to glaramara:

No specific information but generally the Swiss are quite keen on enforcing rules... More so than the French.

In reply to glaramara:

A few years ago I bivvied near there and was fine. Loads of other folk were doing the same, on nicely flattened out spots nearer to the mountain. I think that was in 2012, plenty of people will have more recent info though.


R

In reply to MG:


So best to camp on the French side, then

In reply to glaramara:

This has been the case for the last few years. The Swiss are remarkably efficient at catching people - can you really afford CHF 5K? It's a shame, but there does now seem to be an economic barrier on the easy way up the Matterhorn.

In reply to jon:



There is a bivvy hut at the foot of the Furgen ridge. I don't think it takes that long to traverse under the E face. Might work for the OP.

In reply to glaramara:

2880m refers to the flat spot on the Hirli where they had the "Base Camp" during the Hörnlihütte renovations so presumably they want to prevent people camping there as well as anywhere near the hut.

http://www.hoernlihuette.ch/base_camp.html

It's Zermatt so the fines will be enforced.

In reply to glaramara:

So anyone who bivouacs on one of the harder routes will get a bill on their way down ? (has anyone climbed the Bonatti route in a day ?)

In reply to Doug:

Maybe bivouacs "around" rather than "on" the Matterhorn are banned??

In reply to ianstevens:


That can't be much more than it costs to actually stay in a Swiss Hut! The problem is that people can't realistically afford to stay in huts.

In reply to Robert Durran:


And therefore, as an extension, shouldn't be allowed on the mountain. Which is logical in the Swiss mindset... can't have the mountains cluttered up with poor people.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Prices in popular huts have risen dramatically in recent years. It is now 70 Euro in the Gniffeti and 100 Euro in the Margherita. Both up over 50% in three years, and this is in "cheap" Italy. In quieter areas things are much cheaper - <40 Euro in the delightful Gastaldi recently.

In reply to glaramara:

Not sure where you got the idea that the camping ban is not enforced in the Vallee Blanche. I've seen tents confiscated on three separate occasions.

Al

In reply to Doug:


I would hope so. Anyone not complying with a suitably fashionable fast 'n light approach should be subject to draconian penalties in my opinion.

In reply to Robert Durran:


Totally agreed, the Hornli Hut is outrageous but yet people continue to stay there. Some of the non-honeypot huts in Switzerland are actually quite reasonable.

Also it should be noted that this bivouac law is canton level legislation - I don't know if there are equivalents outside of Valais.

In reply to jon:


The Swiss don't have any poor people, its only the visitors who are poor

In reply to GridNorth:

Maybe. And yet every year it is like glastonbury on the glacier. Complete with sick. I don't fancy skulking around in black face paint avoiding the Swiss herrenvolk however. Italian ridge or bank loan I guess.

In reply to glaramara:
Couple of other considerations -

Desire to reduce environmental impact of bivvying e.g. litter and human waste?

Desire to reduce numbers on the mountain to make it safer?

In reply to glaramara:

This summer i climbed the Zmutt Ridge. I bivouacked on the ridge at 3600-3700 metres (because the Hornlihutte was too expensive and the Schoenbiel hutte was too far). I'm almost sure that this rule you mention is valid only near the hut.

I also remember that near the Hornlihutte there was signs which stated that bivouacking was forbidden UNDER a certain altitude (something like 3400m), so this means that bivouac on the routes are legal.

It's astonishing how in Zermatt all is too expensive, the hut, the cable car, the parking.. even buying something too eat at the supermarket! But the swiss know they can do it, because people will always go there from all over the world spending all the money they will require. When i was there i noticed lots of japanese, russians and arabian, and european from all countries too!