Lonza Bivouac
Lonza Bivouac
-
Endurance
4You are fit, experienced in the mountains and looking for challenges. You can proudly look back on walking times of over 6 hours and more than 800 metres in altitude. Long, demanding tours and technical terrain are no problem for you. -
Technique
4You are sure-footed, have a head for heights and are familiar with challenging, sometimes pathless terrain. You can master bouldery passages, snowfields, steep gullies and exposed sections with experience and ease. Alpine experience is a prerequisite. -
Duration
5-6 h -
Date
Daily from July - September -
Participants
1 - 4 people
Gallery (7)
The Lonza Bivouac is in a remote and spectacular location at 2,961 m - right at the start of the little-used Zmuttgrat ridge on the Matterhorn. Those who make their way to this secluded accommodation will immediately sense that this is where the real mountain adventure begins. The ascent is challenging, leads through wild, barren terrain and requires fitness, surefootedness and alpine experience. In return, the bivouac rewards you with breathtaking silence, rugged originality and an unforgettable view of the Zermatt mountains. The bivouac belongs to the ZERMATTERS and is also looked after by them - for a real piece of Zermatt mountain tradition that only a few get to experience.
Highlights of the Lonza Bivouac
Description
Your tour starts early in the morning with the ascent to the lonely area of the Zmutt Glacier - a less frequented but spectacularly scenic approach to the Matterhorn. Step by step, you leave the valley behind you and approach the high alpine terrain. Together with your mountain guide, you will reach the Lonza Bivouac at 2,961 m, newly built in 2022, in the afternoon - directly on the historic Sattelti.
Up there, you can enjoy the silence of the mountains, prepare your camp for the night and end the day with a breathtaking panorama of the Dent d'Hérens, the view down into the valley and the last light of the Matterhorn. The hut is not manned, but is managed by ZERMATTERS - reservations and payment are made directly through us. The next day, fortified by a simple breakfast and with magical memories in your luggage, you descend back into the valley.
Program
Day 1
You meet your mountain guide at the ZERMATTERS home base, pick up any equipment (harness, crampons & hiking poles) - then the adventure begins. On foot from Zermatt or by train via Furi or Schwarzsee, the ascent leads over glaciers and pathless terrain to the remote Lonza Bivouac at 2,961 metres. There you can enjoy peace and quiet, far-reaching views and, after a home-cooked dinner, an overnight stay in high alpine solitude.
Day 2
The next morning, the early sun wakes you up - after a simple breakfast and a few souvenir photos against the magnificent backdrop, you make your way back to Zermatt.
- Good hiking boots
- Small backpack, max. 30 liters
- Comfortable hiking clothes, adapted to the weather
- Water and windproof jacket
- Cap or sun hat
- Sunglasses and sun cream
- Snacks (high-energy food such as chocolate, dried fruit)
- drinks
- Hiking poles if necessary
- Silk sleeping bag (obligatory)
- Minimal spare clothes
- Headlamp
- Wash kit
- Plaster
- Personal pharmacy
- Cash, identity card
For the hike to the Monte Rosa hut and other hikes on the glacier:
Crampons and climbing harness: can be hired from ZERMATTERS
After booking
After booking, you will receive a confirmation by email. Please check that your details are correct.
Two days before the tour, you will receive a link to the customer portal.
Please contact us before the tour to go over the details (current weather, conditions, group size, etc.). You can reach us by phone, email or visit us at the ZERMATTERS Homebase.
The bivouac
General information about the Lonza Bivouac
The newly built Lonza Bivouac is located on the so-called Sattelti at 2,961 m - an almost secluded stopover on the famous Zmuttgrat. The hut offers space for a maximum of eight people and is unattended, which makes for an intense feeling of security.
Facilities
It has light and electricity and a cooking area with gas stove (no food available). Water for cooking and washing up is available. No drinking water! Electronic mobile devices can be charged via a USB socket.
Booking the bivouac without a mountain guide:in
You can book the bivouachere if you would like to spend the night in the Lonza bivouac without ZERMATTERS mountain guide.
History
The location of today's Lonza bivouac on the Sattelti (2,961 m) is historically significant: as early as 1879, the rope team led by mountain guide Alexander Burgener bivouacked there before the first ascent of the Zmuttgrat ridge on the Matterhorn. For a long time, the approach via the Schönbielhütte was considered the standard route for this challenging ridge ascent. However, with the retreat of the Tiefmatten Glacier, this approach became increasingly difficult and dangerous, which is why many mountaineers switched to the route via the Hörnlihütte - despite the increased risk of falling rocks and ice.
To mark its 100th anniversary, the LONZA company set up a bivouac on the historic Sattelti bivouac site for the first time in 1997. It was intended to serve as a safe and ideal starting point for climbing the Zmuttgrat. Just three years later, however, the bivouac was destroyed by an avalanche.
In 2022 - to mark the 125th anniversary - Lonza joined forces with the ZERMATTERS to rebuild the bivouac safely at the same location. Since then, the modern bivouac high above the Zmutt Glacier has once again provided an ideal, safe and almost secluded starting point for alpinists on their way to the Matterhorn.
-
Endurance
4You are fit, experienced in the mountains and looking for challenges. You can proudly look back on walking times of over 6 hours and more than 800 metres in altitude. Long, demanding tours and technical terrain are no problem for you. -
Technique
4You are sure-footed, have a head for heights and are familiar with challenging, sometimes pathless terrain. You can master bouldery passages, snowfields, steep gullies and exposed sections with experience and ease. Alpine experience is a prerequisite. -
Duration
5-6 h -
Date
Daily from July - September -
Participants
1 - 4 people
The Lonza Bivouac is in a remote and spectacular location at 2,961 m - right at the start of the little-used Zmuttgrat ridge on the Matterhorn. Those who make their way to this secluded accommodation will immediately sense that this is where the real mountain adventure begins. The ascent is challenging, leads through wild, barren terrain and requires fitness, surefootedness and alpine experience. In return, the bivouac rewards you with breathtaking silence, rugged originality and an unforgettable view of the Zermatt mountains. The bivouac belongs to the ZERMATTERS and is also looked after by them - for a real piece of Zermatt mountain tradition that only a few get to experience.
Highlights of the Lonza Bivouac
Description
Your tour starts early in the morning with the ascent to the lonely area of the Zmutt Glacier - a less frequented but spectacularly scenic approach to the Matterhorn. Step by step, you leave the valley behind you and approach the high alpine terrain. Together with your mountain guide, you will reach the Lonza Bivouac at 2,961 m, newly built in 2022, in the afternoon - directly on the historic Sattelti.
Up there, you can enjoy the silence of the mountains, prepare your camp for the night and end the day with a breathtaking panorama of the Dent d'Hérens, the view down into the valley and the last light of the Matterhorn. The hut is not manned, but is managed by ZERMATTERS - reservations and payment are made directly through us. The next day, fortified by a simple breakfast and with magical memories in your luggage, you descend back into the valley.
Program
Day 1
You meet your mountain guide at the ZERMATTERS home base, pick up any equipment (harness, crampons & hiking poles) - then the adventure begins. On foot from Zermatt or by train via Furi or Schwarzsee, the ascent leads over glaciers and pathless terrain to the remote Lonza Bivouac at 2,961 metres. There you can enjoy peace and quiet, far-reaching views and, after a home-cooked dinner, an overnight stay in high alpine solitude.
Day 2
The next morning, the early sun wakes you up - after a simple breakfast and a few souvenir photos against the magnificent backdrop, you make your way back to Zermatt.
Additional costs
- Overnight stay in the bivouac (see price list)
- Rental equipment (crampons and climbing harness) CHF 15.00 per person, available at the ZERMATTERS Homebase
Price list
| IVBV/UIAGM/IFMGA mountain guide | CHF 35.00 |
| Members SAC & reciprocal right | CHF 55.00 |
| Non-members | CHF 65.00 |
| Young people SAC & reciprocal right (10 - 22 years) | CHF 35.00 |
| Young non-members (10 - 17 years) | CHF 45.00 |
Material
To ensure that you are well equipped for the hike to the Lonza bivouac, you should definitely have this equipment with you:
- Good hiking boots
- Small backpack, max. 30 liters
- Comfortable hiking clothes, adapted to the weather
- Water and windproof jacket
- Cap or sun hat
- Sunglasses and sun cream
- Snacks (high-energy food such as chocolate, dried fruit)
- drinks
- Hiking poles if necessary
- Silk sleeping bag (obligatory)
- Minimal spare clothes
- Headlamp
- Wash kit
- Plaster
- Personal pharmacy
- Cash, identity card
For the hike to the Monte Rosa hut and other hikes on the glacier:
Crampons and climbing harness: can be hired from ZERMATTERS
After booking
After booking, you will receive a confirmation by email. Please check that your details are correct.
Two days before the tour, you will receive a link to the customer portal.
Please contact us before the tour to go over the details (current weather, conditions, group size, etc.). You can reach us by phone, email or visit us at the ZERMATTERS Homebase.
The bivouac
General information about the Lonza Bivouac
The newly built Lonza Bivouac is located on the so-called Sattelti at 2,961 m - an almost secluded stopover on the famous Zmuttgrat. The hut offers space for a maximum of eight people and is unattended, which makes for an intense feeling of security.
Facilities
It has light and electricity and a cooking area with gas stove (no food available). Water for cooking and washing up is available. No drinking water! Electronic mobile devices can be charged via a USB socket.
Booking the bivouac without a mountain guide:in
You can book the bivouachere if you would like to spend the night in the Lonza bivouac without ZERMATTERS mountain guide.
History
The location of today's Lonza bivouac on the Sattelti (2,961 m) is historically significant: as early as 1879, the rope team led by mountain guide Alexander Burgener bivouacked there before the first ascent of the Zmuttgrat ridge on the Matterhorn. For a long time, the approach via the Schönbielhütte was considered the standard route for this challenging ridge ascent. However, with the retreat of the Tiefmatten Glacier, this approach became increasingly difficult and dangerous, which is why many mountaineers switched to the route via the Hörnlihütte - despite the increased risk of falling rocks and ice.
To mark its 100th anniversary, the LONZA company set up a bivouac on the historic Sattelti bivouac site for the first time in 1997. It was intended to serve as a safe and ideal starting point for climbing the Zmuttgrat. Just three years later, however, the bivouac was destroyed by an avalanche.
In 2022 - to mark the 125th anniversary - Lonza joined forces with the ZERMATTERS to rebuild the bivouac safely at the same location. Since then, the modern bivouac high above the Zmutt Glacier has once again provided an ideal, safe and almost secluded starting point for alpinists on their way to the Matterhorn.
