FIRST ascent of the MATTERHORN:

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neebee

Social climber

calif/texas

Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 7, 2007 - 03:26am PT

hey there all.. (hmmm, seems i messed up the title, will try again)

say, wasn't sure how many of you knew this, so just thought i'd share about this magnificent mountain...this is from the live from zermatt-website:

First Ascent of the Matterhorn

Zermatt's place in history was tragically secured with the first ascent of the Matterhorn in the 19th century. As the surrounding peaks were climbed in the 1830's to 50's, there developed intense competition to conquer the Matterhorn, which for many years had been considered "unclimbable". The English climber Edward Whymper had made several abortive attempts from the Italian side, when in 1865, he learned that the Rev. Charles Hudson was to attempt the Matterhorn from Zermatt.

Hurrying over the Theodulpass, he joined forces together with Lord Francis Douglas, George Hadow, and the guides Michel Croz (from Chamonix), and Peter Taugwalder and his son (from Zermatt).

On the 14th of July the ascent was triumphantly achieved. However during the descent, just below the summit on the north face, Hadow slipped. In three disastrous seconds, Hadow fell onto the unprepared Croz, subsequently pulling Hudson and Douglas away from the face. The elder Taugwalder belayed the rope round a rock; but it snapped and four of the seven climbers fell thousands of feet to their deaths down the north wall.

News of the triumph and tragedy flashed around the world, and Zermatt and the Matterhorn have held a special fascination for many people ever since. N.b.You can join our virtual climb of the Matterhorn by clicking here.

*they have a "virtual climb" there--very nice pics..

neebee

Social climber

calif/texas

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 18, 2015 - 09:53pm PT

hey there say, all... wow, old post, one of my first few...

:)

Gary

Social climber

Desolation Basin, Calif.

Feb 19, 2015 - 05:36am PT

“Still, the last sad memory hovers round, and sometimes drifts across like floating mist, cutting off sunshine and chilling the remembrance of happier times. There have been joys too great to be described in words, and there have been griefs upon which I have not dared to dwell; and with these in mind I say: Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.”

Edward Whymper

mouse from merced

Trad climber

The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.

Feb 19, 2015 - 05:51am PT

[Click to View YouTube Video]

Berg heil, neebee!

matty

Trad climber

under the sea

Feb 19, 2015 - 07:23am PT

Was there this year for an attempt but was met by a week of solid rain/snow in mid July. Never even got to see the top of the peak and most of the time the clouds were so thick you could barely see the valley walls. They have a really nice new matterhorn museum there.

this is from the kickoff last fall to the 150th anniversary ascent which takes place this summer.

http://www.robertboesch.ch/en/werbung/mammut

That photo was actually done by the same photographer (Robert Bösch) who does all those crazy Mammut ads.

In the museum you can see a lot of the old gear including the rope that broke on the first ascent!!! Man is that rope skinny, I sure would want to rely on it to catch me.

neebee

Social climber

calif/texas

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 19, 2015 - 10:41am PT

hey there say, gary.... wow, had to stop, and take that all in... the quote there... i've read that long agao, somewhere...

thank you for sharing that...

matty, say, wow, what a fantastic share... i had not known that...
i used to go ' check up on the ol' matterhorn stuff' a lot...

but that was back before i had paints, now, :))

thank you for sharing... i just don't know why, but i love the matterhorn, so much... just seeing it there... (check out the live zermot webcam, you can catch the matterhorn at the most neat times, when you are lucky, timewise)...

thank you for sharing this anniversary share, from last year... wow...
glad this post, has a 'good timing' event here...
dusted off, like that ol' FINE wine, from hiding in the basement, :)

thank you again... really enjoyed this!

neebee

Social climber

calif/texas

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 19, 2015 - 10:42am PT

hey there say, mouse!! will go see the video now!
thank you for sharing, on the ol' matterhorn:

a 'horn that matters',
in the climbing realm... :)

Marlow

Sport climber

OSLO

Feb 19, 2015 - 12:49pm PT

Peter Taugwalder (1820-1888), and brothers Mattheus (1825-1872), Johann (1826-1900) and Stephan Zum Taugwalder (1833-1907) were the first real mountain guides in the Zermatt region. (Source: Carl Egger. Pioniere der Alpen.)

Two well known smiths, Alfons senior and junior (1904-1982), were also mountain guides carrying the Taugwalder name.

Here's a Taugwalder ice axe:

Sula

Trad climber

Pennsylvania

Feb 19, 2015 - 02:28pm PT

... the 150th anniversary ascent which took place last fall

Out of curiosity, why would this not have been scheduled for the 150th anniversary (July 14 of this year)?

johntp

Trad climber

socal

Feb 19, 2015 - 02:31pm PT

I thought this would be about Disneyland.

johntp

Trad climber

socal

Feb 19, 2015 - 03:30pm PT

Yeah. Walking through the guide's cemetary in Zermatt is a little trippy.

mouse from merced

Trad climber

The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.

Feb 19, 2015 - 09:13pm PT

I thought this would be about Disneyland.

It very well could have been about basketball, too.

Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber

Out Of Bed

Feb 19, 2015 - 09:46pm PT

That is too much the first good thing that happened to me after the bad thing that happened to me was to get to go with the privileged, spawn on a ski trip to Zermatt!
I barely knew how to ski, so being out classed by the hill and the drinking that I was completely not ready to partake in, I spent a lot of the ten daze watching clouds race across the mountains.

The Matterhorn has an unmistakable draw when seen as non climber it is a spike that defines the word mountain. Climbers are equally drawn to it for some of the same esthetics.

The history of tragedy tangled up with the beautiful sight of the mountain should be warning
In itself !

Modern technology and speed has made the climb more reasonable but the quality of the rock and ice is notoriously poor.

If I had an opportunity to climb it I wonder if I would be able to resist it's sirens song

That is some fast pic'n' on that ditty who wrote it I wonder?

neebee

Social climber

calif/texas

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 20, 2015 - 02:40am PT

hey there say, wow, thanks for sharing marlow...
very quiet hush, kind of a share... oh my...

thank you again...

timid! wow, now that , with the dad... that is really special, too...
i love that photo very much...

thanks for the mentions, too johntp and others,
...say, i never been to disney land... and ahhahaa, i NEVER
knew of the other matterhorn, until i started reading taco, here...

a few years, back, i LEARNED it from someones post, ... oh my,
i thought they had taken their family to the REAL one... :)

matty

Trad climber

under the sea

Feb 20, 2015 - 09:16am PT

SULA-

Your so right and I was not date checking very well...the anniversary is this year and the swiss have celebration planned throughout the season.

The photograph posted earlier was in honor of the first ascent and kind of kicked off the upcoming celebrations.

The photo was actually done by the same photographer (Robert Bösch) who does all those crazy Mammut ads.

http://www.robertboesch.ch/en/werbung/mammut

Reilly

Mountain climber

The Other Monrovia- CA

Feb 20, 2015 - 09:25am PT

Neebs, nice thread.

Matty, cool shot of the 'horn.

One of these days I might do a TR of my winter solo, but I realize
peak-bagging is looked down upon for the most part around here so...