Matterhorn Peak (Short TR)

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aa-lex

climber

Livermore

Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 21, 2008 - 01:05am PT

So we climbed Matterhorn in early August. This was my first real alpine roped climb. It was a great climb in a great location. This climb was done with my friend of the same name - Alex.

We hiked in the afternoon before the day we were to climb. The approach was definitely steep! Here is the peak from just above the lower lake. You can clearly see the Double Dihedrals.

Here is a closer shot of the peak from the cirque below it. The glacier doesn’t look very big, but it is bigger than it looks. Walking along the rocks below the glacier, we noticed that there was actually more glacier below the rocks.

Our camp was situated on a huge flat rock that was a perfect base camp.

We had an amazing sunset that night!

We woke up and started the final approach about 7ish. I am obviously not a morning person!

The route we intended on doing was the North Arete. In retrospect, we must have started the route higher than we should have but it worked out okay. At the end of the first pitch, I set up a belay on the arête. From here, Alex led up the arête and around to the right side of the arête. I then took the lead on pitch three. I got up about half a rope’s length and realized I was looking at the second dihedral of the Double Dihedral route. I realized that I needed to go back to the arête to get on route, but I just couldn’t resist climbing the dihedral! I made it about half way up the dihedral and set up a belay. Here is Alex following the pitch.

I then led up the rest of the dihedral and then onto the face moves. I guess the face is rated 5.8, but it was not real hard, just exposed. This took me to the top of the false summit which you see in all the pictures of the mountain. Here’s the view from this point.

From here, Alex led the next two pitches of easy climbing to the real summit. This is him on top.

The view was great from the top. You could see Conness and Dana. I think that North Peak and the Cathedral Range are hiding just out of the picture. The Conness glacier is quite visible here.

The descent was uneventful, but here is the parting shot.

A great climb!! We basically combined the North Arete with the Double Dihedral route. The climbing on this mountain was really fun with inspiring views!

Russ Walling

Social climber

Nutsonthechin, Wisconsin

Aug 21, 2008 - 02:31am PT

bump for the good stuff

Ed Hartouni

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Aug 21, 2008 - 02:38am PT

good show Alex²

been meaning to get up that one sometime

mike

climber

I have no clue

Aug 21, 2008 - 08:41am PT

Glacier started at the flat rock if I remember correctly.

bearbnz

Trad climber

East Side, California

Aug 21, 2008 - 09:04am PT

Nice TR. North Peak is in your photo, it is the first peak north (viewer's left) of Conness...

rhyang

Ice climber

SJC

Aug 21, 2008 - 10:19am PT

Good job !

Delhi Dog

Trad climber

Good Question...

Aug 21, 2008 - 10:28am PT

Good stuff, thanks for sharing!

Cheers,
DD

bluering

Trad climber

Santa Clara, Ca.

Aug 21, 2008 - 11:15am PT

Looks like a great trip. Nice job.

What's that huge cave-looking slot on the formation to the picture-left of Matterhorn?

klk

Trad climber

cali

Aug 21, 2008 - 12:18pm PT

Nice tr-- one of the classics I've never done.

Several years ago I hiked in despite dubious weather and was on the start of the route when the lightening started. Honestly, I wasn't that unhappy-- it felt chossier and a bit more intimidating than most of the other routes that I like.

Maybe this will motivate me to return with a rope and a partner.

handsome B

Gym climber

SL,UT

Aug 21, 2008 - 12:18pm PT

nice work!

thanks for the TR

nutjob

Stoked OW climber

San Jose, CA

Aug 21, 2008 - 03:08pm PT

good stuff, the to-do list never stops growing!

Raydog

Trad climber

Boulder Colorado

Aug 21, 2008 - 03:09pm PT

killer!

eeyonkee

Trad climber

Golden, CO

Aug 21, 2008 - 03:51pm PT

Wow! Did a route, maybe the same one, on Matterhorn Peak back in 1970 or '71 with PhantomX when we were 14 year olds. I hadn't seen it or pictures of it since. Beautiful pics.

aa-lex

climber

Livermore

Topic Author's Reply - Aug 21, 2008 - 04:16pm PT

bluering: Yeah that cave looking thing was an uber-wide tunnel thingie. It looked pretty awesome, but I didn't inspect it real close. Probably much harder than I can climb!

bearbnz: Thats cool! I wasn't sure quite where North Peak was. Thanks for clarifying. I've gotta get up that one of these days too!

klk: Yeah you should definitely return. I didn't find much of it too chossy. Maybe a little in the beginning but the two pitches we did on the DD route were more than worth it!

Ed: Yeah you used the Alex2. Awesome! We've been shortening it to A2.

How the heck do I get the superscript function to work here? The basic HTML method is not working!

neebee

Social climber

calif/texas

Aug 23, 2008 - 02:14am PT

hey there alex and all....

ooooooooooooo.... i love the matterhorn.... course, i dont climb or even travel... but say, i love that ol' webcam sunrise and sunset (live from zermot)....

really, i do love looking at the mountain, the range, and the area... thanks for a really nice share of your matterhorn trip... great stuff.... feels so fresh and inspiring, from those pics, too....

congrats on your climb....

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Aug 23, 2008 - 03:11am PT

anyone notice that massive rock slide zone in one of the middle landscape pics. gnar

jbar

Mountain climber

Atl,GA

Aug 23, 2008 - 04:37am PT

Thanks for the TR. Those pics make me pissed I'm sitting here on my fat A instead of out there. Was over there in Yo this past may but I didn't get out of the valley. This climb in spring reminds me of Mt. Humphreys. I gotta get out there and do it sometime.