Matterhorn Ascent

• published: 25 Feb 2011
• views: 1239

During September 2009, having recently married and moved house, I took a break from things to visit my close friend Per, a Norwegian guide living in Chamonix. Our plan was to do some nice multipitch climbing on the granite walls above Chamonix valley for a couple of days and to chill out and enjoy each others company. However, literally a few minutes after I arrived at his house, and purely for a joke, (as we have a history of biting off more than we can chew and having epics - 9hrs on Central Buttress, Ill Crag (lakes) in the rain and 10 hrs with no water on 7 pitches at El Chorro in AUGUST! - I quipped "So what's on the agenda Per - Climbing the Matterhorn" He half 'joked' back "well actually, the forecast is increadibly good for the next 4 days.... etc etc Next thing we know, we've hatched a plan to climb the next day, halway up the Midi, camp overnight, travel to the top and try out Cosmic arete, then sleep in the toilets (we didn't get much) and if I had no acclimatisation problems by then, to travel on the Thursday to Zermatt and attempt the Matterhorn on Friday. Crazy eh? It should be noted that I have absolutely no alipne experience and didn't even know how to fit crampons on myself, but being a pretty competant rock climber and having found myself in top fitness that year due to some competetive 10k racing with a local running club (pressganged by my wife), and after quick success on the Cosmic arete trial, I felt things were going to plan and we'd be ok! Per wasn't so convinced. He'd been dissapointed by having to turn back (with a client) previously on the mountain and despite being totally absorbed by the idea of us summitting together, he was desperate not to waste our time, (which could be spent doing other nice stuff), by mounting a failed attempt. His vast experience was trading blows with my naive optimism... I wasn't obsessed with the summit of the Matterhorn, but we'd passed all the tests we'd set ourselves during the short preparations, so I argued there was no evidence to suggest we abandon. 6 hrs debate at the Midi cafe station the Wednesday afternoon followed and we eventually decided to commit to having a crack at it. Suddenly it was on! and it did seem very sudden... I think shockingly sudden to loved ones at home!! I'd never stayed in an alpine hut before so it was an increadibly intimidating experience to be around that summit atmosphere, such as the Hornli Hut has. Surrounded by pretty serious looking dudes who were obviously far more experienced than myself... I remember looking at a photo on the wall during the meal the night before our ascent and seeing these dots up on the exposed shoulder snow slopes of the mountain and struggling to maintain positivity! For some people this ridge and summit may represent some sort of casual formal undertaking, but not me. This seemed a REALLY big deal! Believe me.... I'm not known for introspective reflection or emotional blubbering..... However... Here is the footage I captured, expressing my thoughts on the ascent to friends and family back home, and subsequently our barely anticipated triumph at the summit of the Matterhorn.