Zmutt, Village near Zermatt, Switzerland
Glacier de Zmutt is a valley glacier in the Swiss Alps that runs along the northern side of the Matterhorn. It ends at around 7,200 feet (2,200 m) above sea level, where meltwater collects in small lakes before draining into the Zmuttbach river.
Zmutt served for centuries as a farming and herding settlement, with families working the high valley land from generation to generation. The church of St. Katharina was built in the 18th century and remains at the center of village life.
Zmutt is one of the few places in the Valais where old wooden houses still look the way they did centuries ago. Every summer, the small church of St. Katharina hosts a service where cattle are blessed and the mountain season is celebrated.
Zmutt is reachable on foot from central Zermatt in about 45 minutes along a well-marked trail that winds through forests and past waterfalls. For the glacier area, sturdy footwear is a good idea since the terrain can be uneven with loose rocks.
Water from the glacier flows through underground tunnels to feed a hydroelectric plant that supplies power to the region. At the glacier's front, meltwater has formed small lakes that show exactly where the ice ends today.
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