It has been possible to ski from Zermatt to Saas Fee for many years, taking an off-piste route from the Rothorn ski area in Zermatt.
However, the idea of a lift connection between the two Swiss resorts has been under discussion since the turn of the millennium, if not earlier.
Saas Fee to Zermatt lift suggested 30 years ago
More than thirty years ago, Hubert Bumann from Luftseilbahnen Saas-Fee AG proposed a three-stage lift from Saas-Fee to the Feekopf summit at 3888m.
This would have made it the highest lift-serviced skiing in Europe at the time and still one of the highest in the world after Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in China (4700m), Gulmarg in India (3980m) and Breckenridge in the States (3914m).
From this point, skiers could drop down to Täsch and then connect back to Zermatt by train.
Resorts are just 7km apart
At present as the ‘chough’ (an alpine crow) flies, there are just seven kilometres between the existing lift system in Zermatt at Unterrothorn from the top of the Mittelallalin lifts in Saas-Fee.
Sadly, although Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners were commissioned by Luftseilbahnen Saas-Fee AG and Zermatter Rothornbahn AG (now Zermatt Bergbahnen AG) to complete a technical assessment back in 2000, as yet there has been no further progress.
Connected via four chairlifts
The proposal by Ecosign was to connect the two ski areas via four detachable six-person chairlifts.
The lifts would allow foot passengers to travel in both directions, with additional pistes created for skiers to descend on the snow.
The lifts would go from Flualp in the Rothorn ski area up to Spitzi Flue and then through the Täsch valley and up to the ridge below Allalinhorn in the Saas-Fee ski area.
Enjoy Zermatt with Matterhorn Chalets
Will this much-talked-of connection ever come to light? Only time will tell. Fortunately until then it’s simple to enjoy the superb ski area of Zermatt…just come and join us at Matterhorn Chalets.
We can offer catered and serviced chalets, as well as self-catered apartments. Simply contact Ed or Suzanne on +41 79 247 15 88 or via our website.