Most people know that Zermatt in Switzerland is the home of the iconic Matterhorn mountain.

You might even know that Zermatt’s super skiing is accessible all-year-round on the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise with 360km of pistes available in the winter.

However, with a ski area this large, here are some fascinating Zermatt ski facts – from Zermatt specialist tour operator Matterhorn Chalets – that may have passed you by:

5 – Kilometres of fixed safety nets

Before the start of each season, it takes a team of Zermatt pisteurs weeks to ensure that they are all in place and secure.

6 – Game and forest protection zones

These zones are all clearly marked so skiers and snowboarders don’t end up in restricted areas and consequently disturb the mountain animals’ vital winter rest.

400 – Marker Poles per six kms of piste

Another job the pisteurs have to handle is positioning the important marker poles at the edge of the piste.

13,000 – Marker Poles in total

Zermatt’s pisteurs have to carry and place almost 13,000 marker poles throughout the Zermatt ski area.

1200 – Snow cannons

Zermatt’s snow making system is one of the most efficient in the world and uses over one thousand cannons.

70% – Ski Area covered

Over two-thirds of the Zermatt slopes are covered by the snow making facilities in Zermatt, making it genuinely snow sure with guaranteed snow.

1.6m m³ – Manmade Snow

Around 1,600,000 cubic metres of snow are produced every year, generated from 800,000 cubic metres of water.

49 – Avalanche Blasting Systems

Avalanche control is treated as a science in Zermatt and the resort uses almost 50 different avalanche blasting systems across the ski area to control avalanches.

80 – People working behind the scenes

Every day up to eighty members of staff at the Zermatt Bergbahnen lift company work behind the scenes to ensure the ski area and lifts remain in perfect condition.

Talk to the Zermatt experts

If you’re planning a trip to Zermatt, please contact the Matterhorn Chalets team on +41 79 247 15 88.

We can help you find the right accommodation for you, whether you are looking for self-catered apartments, serviced chalets or hotels.

You can also use our concierge service to book your ski hire, lift passes, ski school and transfers to Zermatt from Geneva or Zurich.