The late 19th century must have been an exciting era for residents of Zermatt. After the dramatic and fateful first ascent of the Matterhorn in1865, worldwide interest in this alpine hamlet spread quickly. Zermatt was connected to the Morse telegraph network in 1872. Mark Twain arrived in 1878 and wrote his comic story "Climbing the Riffelberg." The first train arrived in 1891, and just 7 years later in 1898 the Gornergratbahn went into operation, taking visitors into a glacial paradise unlike any other. Today, an ascent of the Gornergrat—whether on foot, by rail, or as a combination of the two—can be an unforgettable highlight of any tour in Switzerland.