At 4,478 m, the matterhorn is the most difficult classic in the alps. As a guide, i personally think of the matterhorn as a unique challenge, the overall itinerary being a much greater undertaking than its constituent parts. Climbing the matterhorn via lion ridge trip report. Though not as famous as whympers on the hornli, its first ascent was in 1879. The climbing is a progression that culminates in an ascent of the matterhorn. We were also alone on the summit this day, and most of the climb was on snowmixed ground except for the steeper rocky steps. By far and away the most frequented is the northeast or hornli ridge ad iii. Guide du valais swiss alpine club series in french. There is a record of climbing matterhorn from the village breuilcervinia, of 2 h 10 min by it in 1995.
From there the climbers have to turn on one side or the other, sometimes on poor rock, to reach the ridge beyond them. Two days of advance rock climbing helps climbers gain lastminute skills and knowledge before climbing the matterhorn. For as long as there have been mountain climbers, the most famous peak in the alps has drawn them. The route is very exposed, mainly consisting of lowergrade rock climbing, with and. To climb the matterhorn by the easiest ridge the hornli ridge or hornligrat one needs the ability to cope with roped scrambling for a long period of time. Grand canyon tour skywalk, guano point, hoover dam, helicopter and boat trip 4k duration. An exceptional 6 day mountaineering course to climb the matterhorn, the most dramatic mountain in the alps. Whether you are a young alpine tiger or are starting your mountaineering career in your 40s, the matterhorn is. It was climbed by alfred mummery, and his guides, alexander burgener, augustin gentinetta and johann petrus. Both the polux and breithorn are excellent, challenging, 4,000 m peaks that tower above zermatt. Story and photos by john wutzer it all began back in 2006 when a couple climbing friends and i decided to attempt to climb the matterhorn. The matterhorn 4,478m is one of the most famous mountains in the world. Scrambles amongst the alps in the years 1860 chessler. Calvin sherst we will train on and climb at least two other peaks in the vicinity of zermatt, switzerland.
Due to the ongoing spread of covid19, please abstain from climbing outside. Complete 3 high quality alpine training climbs based in the chamonnix valley. Climbing the matterhorn guided by british ifmga guides. There are four routes up the matterhorn which are climbed relatively regularly. Climbing the matterhorn was climbed later than most of the main mountains of the alps, not because of its technical difficulty, but because of the fear it inspired in early mountaineers. The first ascent of the matterhorn was made by edward whymper, lord francis douglas, charles hudson, douglas hadow, michel croz, and two zermatt guides, peter taugwalder and his son of the same name, on 14 july 1865. We were alone on the summit at 1pm and descended the italian ridge in a storm. It is a large, nearsymmetric pyramidal peak in the extended monte rosa area of the pennine alps, whose summit is 4,478 metres 14,692 ft high, making it one of the highest. Other than occasionally feeling winded, the matterhorn climb allowed for lots of resting from the anerobic work on the ropes while we scrambled from pitch to pitch.
During the next four years his seven attempts on the matterhorn were unsuccessful and so, from the italian side, he crossed to zermatt joining forces with the young lord francis douglas and his guide old peter taugwalder. This is a dedicated guiding week focused on climbing the matterhorn. Somewhat more difficult but better climbing follows to near the zmutt nose, the large overhang just left of the ridge. The matterhorn has a pyramidal shape with four faces facing the four compass points. Guided matterhorn ascent via the hornli ridge from zermatt. First winter ascent via the zmutt ridge by henri masson and edmund. The climbing is never more difficult than the british grade moderate. We reserved a guide but a trail climb to test our alpine skills was first in order. Climb the ridge from the hornli hut to reach the summit of your dreams.
Cervin is a mountain of the alps, straddling the main watershed and border between switzerland and italy. Climbing the matterhorn is without question one of the worlds great classic adventures. We were led on a 6 hour exhausting half traverse of the breithorn that challenged us beyond our imagination. The matterhorn offers the perfect alpine experience, with an early morning start, when the first rays of sunshine illuminate the east facing slope. Eventually we made the zmutt ridge ledges and got mixed up with an italian team that reached utter exhaustion and created some difficulties for us to pass them as they meandered. Climb the matterhorn, the worlds most iconic mountain. There was very few snow, and the quality of the rock was really low. Between 89 sept 2009, together with silvia murgescu we have climbed matterhorn northwest ridge, aka zmutt, starting from schonbiel hut. The acclimatisation and training program at the start of the week is guided at 2.
The matterhorn, zermatt, switzerland 2020 international mountain guides. At ukc we are all climbers and we understand the strong urge to be outdoors as the weather is finally improving, but we feel this is no longer socially acceptable. In july of 1865, an english climber named edward whymper became the first human to stand on the summit. The zmuttgrat on the matterhorn is an alpinists route.
This was the line of the first ascent and it is not unusual to see 100 mountaineers per day attempt it in the summer season. As a climber and sometime mountaineer, the first ascent of the matterhorn, the most spectacular peak in the alps, is of great significance to me, as i have visited zermatt, seen a monument dedicated to him in the graveyard, and climbed a neighboring peak called. Douglas, hudson, hadow and croz were killed on the descent when hadow slipped and pulled the other three with him down the north face. The lion ridge was hardly climbed this summer due to all the snowy weather we had. Climbing the matterhorn from the zmutt ridge zermatt. Lion ridge matterhorn mt cervino mountain spirit guides. These will include rock, snow and mixed terrain to best prepare you for the styles of climbing on the matterhorn.
It is mainly on rock, however, the upper section is usually snow and ice. Climbing the matterhorn a collection of historical mountaineering articles on the brave attempts to scale one of the highest peaks in the alps. We completed the journey but lacking top fitness and more, it. So we had to try lots of different ways to get to the ridge again above the zmutt s nose. Here the route traverses right onto the west face and gains a large sloping terrace know as carrels gallery. With little or no climbing experience made the first british ascent of the pelvoux in 1861. The rock climbing is interesting without being too difficult, just challenging enough, especially with crampons. The mountain guides office of zermatt recommends several other climbing tours before you start climbing the matterhorn. The rock was remarkably solid except for the traverse right below the zmutt nose. Forget about the traverse under the north face from the matterhorn hut and the hut at the bottom of the zmutt which is still in many guide books was demolished by an avalanche back in i think 99. With frontispiece, 10 plates some colored and numerous in. As a sign of hope, the matterhorn is illuminated daily.
Biners account of the route as a descent was a small help. Climbing the lion ridge on matterhorn mt cervino on a crispy day. My wife and i climbed the italian arete and traversed the matterhorn, descending the hornli swiss side. The following information contained in this pdf brochure provides information that should answer the majority of your questions about the. Climbing the matterhorn via the italian ridge liongrat. This realization came to me,780 feet up the matterhorn, the pyramidshaped peak that reigns over this thcentury farming village turned. Myself and some friends are interested in the zmutt ridge on the matterhorn. From here we climb up again, then left to regain the ridge proper. There is an array of reasons behind its fame, from its legendary, almost perfectly symmetrical peak, to the glaciers that surround it, to the four famous ridges that split its four steep faces. I heard people say a few times in their trip reports that climbing the matterhorn was the toughest thing they had done, but for me, i couldnt say that. I put in a peg for a belay but do not remember much else. Climbing the north face of the matterhorn via the schmid route switzerland.
After clearing the zmutt teeth, somewhat difficult but better climbing follows towards the zmutt nose. The matterhorn, zermatt, switzerland mountain guides. In the past i have heard anecdotal evidence that the ridges on the matterhorn are better done later in the season august as the rock is more likely to be dry. Climb the matterhorn with alpine guides matterhorn. Dear climber, thanks for your interest in climbing in the alps with img. I am reading the kindle version of edward whympers the the ascent of the matterhorn and i am thoroughly enjoying it. Climb matterhorn with a mountain guide guided matterhorn. Now, those whod like to ascend this mountain, and who have the necessary experience and skills, can do so. An elegant circumnavigation of the matterhorn, accomplished without ever retracing his steps. The beginning of ascent is a bit reasonable but soon the small towers of the midsection called zmutt teeth faces the climbers. Nice trip report and reaffirmed my belief that i have a lifetime of climbing in my backyard and no need to venture to strange lands where you cant understand the speakers at the airport. Carrels gallery was the crux, a steep and long slope of ice that has to be traversed left to reach the continuation ridge. This book, although interesting did not have the details and excitement as books i have read about climbing everest and other great.
British mountaineer and pioneer of guideless climbing albert frederick mummery is remembered for such significant climbs as the first ascents of the grepon, the zmutt ridge of the matterhorn and, with alexander burgener, the charmoz. One of the first books devoted to the sheer thrill of. Matterhorn beta from zermatt supertopo rock climbing. Matterhorn hornli ridge a guides guide trek and mountain. The matterhorn the most dangerous mountain kindle edition. Great and fast climbing on the zmutt s teeth, but then we wandered a lot on the west face of the matterhorn because of the bad conditions. The exposure from the start to the summit of the matterhorn offers great views. Ukc forums zmutt ridge, matterhorn what time of year. The climb and descent is done exclusively over rocks and ice, and it requires outstanding fitness and experience in rock climbing with and without crampons. When climbed via the hornli ridge, the matterhorn ascent is graded ad with a vertical height gain of 0m from the hornli refuge.
101 456 339 461 1037 1228 1603 826 259 1649 1406 515 791 492 725 724 1600 1126 1518 180 629 107 316 1192 584 1094 566 100 1462 954 1392 232 923 1341 344