Matterhorn from Gornergrat

Matterhorn from Gornergrat

It probably wasn’t too promising for photography in Zermatt and the valleys below on this autumn afternoon. Ah, but at ten thousand-plus feet on the Gornergrat, photographers had mile-wide smiles. The cloud deck had topped out just below the Gornergratbahn station, affording this superbly clear view across to the mighty Matterhorn, rising above the wispy tops of the cumulus, set off by the high altitude sunshine and deep blue sky.

On an October visit to Switzerland, I realized a long held wish – to stay at the hotel on the Gornergrat, high above Zermatt and eye-to-eye with the Matterhorn and the peaks of the Monte Rosa Massif. The hotel’s full name is 3100 Kulm Hotel. The 3100 refers to meters above sea level – that’s 10,170 feet worth of altitude if you like the bigger numbers ;-)

Knowing weather conditions at such altitudes can be fickle, I arranged to stay for three nights, to ensure the best chances for shooting under the best conditions. I needn't have worried, as my luck held out for the entire period. And when one can end each photo-packed day as well as greet the dawn eye to eye with the Matterhorn from one's window...well, it just doesn't get better than that for an Alpine-loving photographer.

This toned black and white was created from an original Ektachrome, shot in my Canon EOS-1 through an L-Series 28-80mm lens wearing a polarizer.

This image is available in archival gallery prints and as a custom printed Photo Note Card.

©Steve Ember