Climbing the Matterhorn. The moment had come!

This is part two of a two blog series depicting our five training climbs and the Matterhorn climb itself. Pictures posted here are of the latter. Part One can be found at http://matterhorntraining.blogspot.com/

For visitors to this blog only, let me repeat one comment from Part One: for safety, climbing with pace and with minimal stops was foremost on our guides' minds. Taking pictures wasn't. We stopped three times during a four and half hour ascent, and pictures from those breaks are here. However, that left huge holes in the pictoral documentation of the experience that I have attempted to fill with shots from other photographers and climbers of our exact route: the Hornli Ridge. I am particularly indebted to Beat Perren’s remarkable book: Matterhorn, where, from a helicopter, he shot climbers on all six of the routes up the mountain—including ours: the Hornli Ridge.

Click on any shot for the large version--recommended particularly for some of Beat Perren's areal shots as the climbers are otherwise not easily visible.

"The Matterhorn looks equally imposing from whatever side it is seen. It never seems common place; and in this respect, and in regard to the impression it makes upon spectators, it stands almost alone amongst mountains. It has no rivals in the Alps, and but few in the world."
Edward Whymper, first man on the summit, from his book: Scrambles Amongst the Alps 1871

As mentioned, Diana had to defer her summit attempt for two days due to a stomach virus, so it was just the three musketeers who set out from Schwarzee on the afternoon of July 19th. Schwartzee is 3,100 feet above Zermatt and is the closest lift-served ski station to the Matterhorn.

The path from Schwarzee to the Hornli Hut gains 2,300 feet in elevation and takes approximately 2 hours.

The last of this kind of help.

The girls moving towards their destiny.

Yes, the 3,000 pound gorilla was tough to miss and was weighing heavily on our shoulders and minds.

Towards the Hornli in the foreground.

Looking back at Schwarzee (just visible) and the path from the previous shot.

Straight up now to the Hornli Hut, just visible through the glare.

Looking at our objective. Our emotions at this point were complex and wonderful: excitement and anticipation mixed with a healthy dose of fear and respect for the unknown task ahead of us.

Ever up. Getting closer.

The Hornli Hut!

The Hut’s location at the base of the Mountain, 4,000 feet below the summit.

We had heard horror stories of large bunk rooms and deafening snoring competitions, so we were thrilled Christoph managed a triple room with heated water beds!

And not a bad view from our window. Are we really climbing that!?

3:30 AM. Out of bed, grab your backpack, your helmet and head-lamp, very quick nature stop, and showtime. Brushing teeth didn’t make the cut.

A five minute bite of toast and sip of coffee did.

The intrepid Ashley about to commence the climb. The first pitch is a vertical wall with a fixed rope. Add to that pitch black, head lamp, setting, anticipation: Better than coffee as a wake-up stimulus

The route up the Hornli Ridge and approximate timings.

No picture taking for us until our second stop above the Solvay two hours later. This shot from Matterhorn.net shows the terrain climbed in the dark with lamps for the first hour or so of the climb.

Notice how the climbing route stays on or close to the ridge. This isn’t necessarily the easiest line, but is the safest in terms of rock falls—a primary danger. Notice also the position of the Hornli Hut. By the time the sun was rising we were way above this point and the Hut was a tiny dot below us!

Our first break and a shot of the sun rise. 

Now some Beat Perren aerial shots. Here, climbing towards the Solvay Hut. 

The Solvay Hut is the half-way point in terms of time, though not distance. Perched on a small ledge with vertical walls in every direction, one is left wondering: "How did they build it here!?"

The final approach to the Solvay is a vertical rock climb called the “Lower Mosley Slabs.”

Our guides did not stop at the Solvay and we continued straight on as pictured.

Ten minutes later we did stop. Christoph’s head is at the bottom of the frame. The upper part of the mountain is where the fun really begins.

Daphs and Henri right behind us. 

We're getting high.

Christoph checking on his stocks?

Ashley and Georgie joining the party. Pictures can't quite depict the steepness here, but notice how I'm shooting straight down--catching my dangling boot at the bottom of the frame.

Interestingly, around the time we were enjoying this break, Marie was in Zermatt taking pictures of the mountain. She took this shot at 6:00AM.
 

At the same time Marie also took this closeup, and the arrow shows our approximate position. Can you see me waving? 

Back to Beat Perren's shots: the ascent up to the 'shoulder'.

Cimbing close to the ridge line.

Arriving at the base of the 'shoulder.'

I have nicked this shot from someone else's portfolio, but it gives an idea of the drop as you emerge on to the 'shoulder.'