Zermatt Inside 2025 - 1 - English Translation and Summary

Summary of significant articles

The Gornergrat Bahn's 11-person snow removal team is deployed around 90 times each winter to clear the nearly 10-kilometer track.
Using a 40-ton vehicle combination, the process begins at 5 a.m. after overnight snowfall to have the line ready for the first train.
The modern snow blower, in service since 2018, can move approximately 3,000 tons of snow per hour and throw it up to 30 meters away.
In addition to the machine clearing, an eight-person crew manually shovels switches, racks, and station platforms free of snow and ice.

After 80 years, the water rights for the Findelnbach power plant are set to revert to the Zermatt municipality in 2029.
The plant's current operator, Elektrizitätswerk Zermatt AG (EWZ), will continue to run the facility under a new concession to ensure Zermatt's energy security.
The Findelnbach plant is a key asset, producing about 15% of the destination's total energy demand.
As part of the new agreement, EWZ will pay the municipality a one-time compensation of CHF 6.8 million for waiving its right to take over the plant.

On March 2, 2025, voters will elect their representatives for the canton's Grand Council and Council of State for a four-year term.
The Grand Council is elected via a proportional representation system, while the Council of State uses a majoritarian (majority vote) system.
A key change for this election is that members of the Grand Council and their substitutes are now elected using a single, combined ballot.
The article provides a detailed checklist for voters, including how to properly modify ballots and the rules for postal voting versus in-person voting at the polling station.

The municipality of Zermatt has earned the prestigious "Energiestadt Gold" label, recognizing its outstanding commitment to sustainable energy and climate policies.
Zermatt is now one of only four municipalities in the Upper Valais to hold the gold status and ranks in the top 30 of 111 gold-certified towns in Switzerland.
Key initiatives contributing to the award include building the Minergie-P certified "Niww Walka" schoolhouse, upgrading 60% of street lighting to LED technology, and optimizing waste management.
The municipality has developed a comprehensive action plan for the next four years to continue advancing its energy and climate goals.

This article is the first in a public safety series from the municipal command staff, focusing on how residents should prepare for avalanches.
Authorities stress the importance of following all official instructions during an event, such as road closures, stay-at-home orders, or evacuations.
Every household is strongly advised to maintain an emergency supply kit ("Notvorrat") with enough food, water, and other necessities to last for several days.
Residents are also encouraged to prepare a separate emergency backpack ("Notfallgepäck") with personal documents, medication, and other essentials in case of an evacuation.

The Zermatt school region is actively recruiting teachers for the 2025/2026 school year to combat a Fachkräftemangel, or skilled labor shortage, affecting all of Switzerland.
Recruitment efforts are being made nationally and internationally, with job postings on various educational platforms and outreach to universities in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Luxembourg.
While Zermatt offers modern school facilities and a dynamic multicultural environment, high living costs and a tight housing market pose significant recruitment challenges.
The hiring campaign pitches the unique opportunity to "work where others vacation," appealing to candidates who love mountain sports and a vibrant tourist destination.

Zermatt's 2025 event calendar is exceptionally busy, adding several major international events to its already packed schedule.
The open-air theatre production "THE MATTERHORN STORY" will return to the Riffelberg from June to August 2025, celebrating the history of the first ascent.
Zermatt will be a host venue for the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, holding the Cross-Country Short Track races on September 9, 2025.
The Switzerland Travel Mart, the nation's most important incoming tourism trade fair, will take place in Zermatt from September 21-25, 2025.

The Riffelberg-Gifthittli chairlift, a critical connection in the Matterhorn Ski Paradise, will be replaced after 22 years of heavy use.
Starting in April 2025, the current six-seater will be dismantled and replaced with a modern eight-seater chairlift from the manufacturer Leitner, set to open for the 2025/26 winter season.
The new lift will feature enhanced comfort, weather-protection bubbles, an optimized loading area, and the latest drive technology.
To minimize environmental impact, the project will reuse more than half of the existing support tower foundations.

In August 1889, Queen Margherita of Italy, a passionate alpinist, spent a week in Zermatt with the goal of high-altitude climbing.
On August 26, she successfully ascended the 4,166-meter Breithorn, a significant mountaineering achievement for the era.
The famous Capanna Margherita, Europe's highest building located on the Signalkuppe of the Monte Rosa massif, was later named in her honor.
The Queen was also a politically conservative and nationalist figure who supported the later rise of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

On January 1, 2025, Leo Schuler, a 66-year-old Zermatt native, officially took office as the new president of the Burgergemeinde (Citizen's Community).
Schuler is a retired secondary school teacher and former school principal who has served on the community council for the past eight years.
His stated priorities include responsibly managing the community's assets and ensuring the council is responsive to the diverse needs and wishes of its citizens.
He highlights the Käserei/Käselager (cheese dairy/storage) project as particularly important for supporting and advancing local agriculture.