The first ascent of the Matterhorn

Edward Whymper · 1865 CE · Earth

The first ascent of the Matterhorn — Edward Whymper · 1865 CE · Earth — Recorded expedition route · schematic map

Climb the Matterhorn from Zermatt by the Hörnli ridge before Carrel's Italian party reached the top from Breuil.

Historical context

By 1865 almost every great peak of the Alps had been climbed except the Matterhorn, whose walls looked unclimbable from every side. Edward Whymper, a London wood engraver, had failed on it eight times, mostly from Italy with the Valtournenche guide Jean-Antoine Carrel; when Carrel took an Italian party up the south-west ridge in July 1865, Whymper crossed to Zermatt and put together a rope of seven in two days. They reached the summit on 14 July by the Hörnli ridge, an hour before the Italians could have, and four of them died on the way down.

The voyage, step by step

  1. Eight leave Zermatt

    13 July 1865

    At half past five on the brilliant, cloudless morning of 13 July 1865 eight men leave Zermatt: Michel Croz, old Peter Taugwalder and his two sons, Lord Francis Douglas, Douglas Hadow, the Reverend Charles Hudson and Edward Whymper. One tourist walks with one native to keep the pace steady.

  2. The chapel at the Schwarzsee

    13 July 1865

    At 8:20 they pick up the gear left in the chapel by the black lake and walk on along the ridge that joins the Hörnli to the Matterhorn. By half past eleven they are at the base of the peak itself and climb round some ledges onto the east face.

  3. The camp at 11,000 feet

    13 July 1865

    Before noon they find a platform for the tent at eleven thousand feet, just four hours' walking from Zermatt, and Croz and young Peter go up to scout. Just before three they come down excited: not a difficulty, not a single difficulty, they could have gone to the summit and back that day.

  4. Something altogether different

    14 July 1865

    They start at first light on the 14th, reach 12,800 feet at 6:20, halt fifty minutes at 14,000 feet from 9:55, and at the foot of the part that looks overhanging from Zermatt cross onto the north face. Croz goes first, saying now for something altogether different, and Hadow needs continual help.

  5. 1:40 p.m., the world at their feet

    14 July 1865

    The slope eases, they untie, and Croz and Whymper dash for the top in a race that ends in a dead heat at 1:40 p.m. on 14 July 1865. Not a footstep is to be seen; the summit ridge, 350 feet long, is untrodden from end to end.

  6. The rope breaks

    14 July 1865

    They descend in the order Croz, Hadow, Hudson, Douglas, old Peter, Whymper, young Peter, one man moving at a time. At about 3 p.m., on the difficult part, Hadow slips and knocks Croz over; Hudson and Douglas are dragged from their steps, the rope snaps between Douglas and Taugwalder, and the four fall nearly four thousand feet to the Matterhorn glacier.

  7. The fog-bow and the night out

    14 July 1865

    For two hours Whymper expects every moment to be his last, the Taugwalders unnerved and old Peter saying with terrible emphasis I cannot; about 6 p.m. they reach the snow of the ridge and all peril is over. At 6:30 a pale arch rises above the Lyskamm with two vast crosses in it, and after an hour of descent in darkness they pass six hours on a slab barely big enough for three.

  8. The bodies and the inquest

    16 July 1865

    At 2 a.m. on Sunday 16 July a search party leaves Zermatt and by 8:30 reaches the plateau at the top of the Matterhorn glacier, where the telescope shows Croz, Hadow and Hudson lying as they fell; of Lord Francis Douglas only a pair of gloves, a belt and a boot are found. Croz, Hadow and Hudson are buried at Zermatt.

Outcome

The summit at 1:40 p.m. on 14 July 1865, the Italians seen 1,250 feet below; on the descent Hadow slipped, the rope broke, and Croz, Hadow, Hudson and Douglas fell to the Matterhorn glacier.

Edward Whymper

A London wood engraver who failed eight times on the Matterhorn, reached its summit first on 14 July 1865, and watched four of his companions fall four thousand feet on the way down.

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