Skiing in Zermatt - Matterhorn Glacier Paradise

1. A ski pass covers all the lifts in the Matterhorn area. There is a supplement required to ski into Italy if those lifts are open.
2. Rent skis at any of the many ski shops in Zermatt. You can book online and pay in advance to get a discount. I am seeing $220 for skis, poles and boots for 7 days first week of April at Azzurra Sport. https://www.alpinresorts.com/en/ski-rental/switzerland/wallis/zermatt
3. The runs on the glacier itself are very easy.
4. Several places to eat and drink up high on the mountain. Knife and fork icon shows locations on the piste map. https://www.matterhornparadise.ch/en/Experience/Zermatt-ski-area/Ski-map?affiliate=1&ref=https://www.zermatt.ch The Icebar at Trockner Steg is pretty sweet on a sunny day.

@ Sam
It's so interesting that the ski pass for April 2nd is 83 CHF while the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise ticket is 95 CHF! Do you know if they take the half-fare card and would I just purchase it at the Zermatt lift?

Based off your link, it also looks like there are only ski rentals in Zermatt rather than like up at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (which makes sense I guess cause you'd come down anyways!). Cool to see that it's reasonably priced, my friends and I would only go for one day. Some of us are like beginners (only went 1-3 times) while others have gone a few times. Watching YouTube videos, it seems that there are some calm slopes like you said so that made me be like "should we ski in Zermat?!?" to my friends haha

The Half Fare Card might work with the Glacier Paradise, but not with a ski pass.
The Furggsattel Gletscherbahn chairlift has moveable stanchions so that as the glacier moves, they can readjust them to keep the cable straight.

The half fare card has no effect, but the ski pass also gives you access to the Gornergrat railway, which has the best views of the Matterhorn and some very easy slopes around the Giffthitli (spelling unsure) chairlift. You could start there, then take the Riffelberg Express gondola down to Furi to meet the Matterhorn Express gondola towards Glacier Paradise. The ski run down from Riffelberg to Furi has some tricky sections for beginners, which is why I recommend taking the lift down.

Is there anything that the ski pass (83 CHF, https://www.matterhornparadise.ch/en/Book/Online-tickets/Ski-pass-winter) does not cover compared to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise ticket (95 CHF, https://www.matterhornparadise.ch/en/Book/Online-tickets/Single-tickets-Matterhorn-Glacier-Paradise)? Would it be just the Glacier Palace and cinema lounge? Can the people have just the ski pass access to the viewing platform?

Would you recommend buying the ski pass online in advance or on the day of at the lift station?

Thank you! :)

I think you can get to the viewing platform with the ski pass, but honestly, there are so many jaw-dropping views when you are skiing on the mountain, they get to be old hat. Balso commented on the view from the Gornergrat. That is included with the ski pass, but not the Glacier Paradise ticket. View of the Matterhorn from Trockner Steg is like you can reach out and touch it, all while enjoying your favorite beverage on the deck of the Icebar.

edit. The viewing platform is shown by icons on the ski map, so seems like it should be available.

We were planning to do the Five Lakes Trail March 31st afternoon, Gornergrat April 1st afternoon, and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise+skiing on April 2nd! Gornergrat seems to have a 61 CHF deal (with half fare card) for the train ticket and toboggan (https://www.gornergrat.ch/en/products/snowfunpass-halfday).

I saw somewhere online saying the Five Lakes Trail isn't open until like May, but if it's just a public outdoor path wouldn't it be available for anyone to go up...?

I think you are forgetting that this is an active ski area. The ski season is far from over on March 31. So walking the Five Lakes Trail you will be dodging skiers and snowboarders.

Omg! Haha I see the red slopes on Google Maps. Guess just make sure to walk on the correct paths since it seems like some don't go through the red slopes. This is my second time ever going to Europe so very new to lots of things!

Or maybe just see Stellisee and Leisee since it seems walking to the other 3 lakes is in the way of the red slopes 😂 Thanks for the heads up!

Most ski areas in western US don't close until at least until April 10 and many until the end of April, and not because of the lack of snow, just waning of interest in skiing once spring is sprung. So Europe really has nothing to do with it.

I was referring to not knowing that the walking paths intersect with the skiing paths since no blogs mentioned it and I've never been to the area before. I've only skied twice before so not too knowledgeable about skiing related things/culture