(The Matterhorn - Date climbed 10/08/23)
“If you want to play in the mountains, you have to finish the game”
These are the words of my friend and High Mountain Guide of 34 years in the job, Pierre Gourdin. Opting to climb with Pierre as my partner, a seasoned veteran rather than a more youthful climber, was a choice influenced by the untimely loss of a previous climbing companion, who sadly ventured too close to life's edge.
Pierre's insight about, “finishing the game”, encapsulates the inevitable and quite brutal confrontation awaiting anyone attempting a high mountain ascent (as opposed to a hiking trek). Once embarked, you are committed and your return to safety hinges on your own capabilities, even if guided. In other words, you have to finish the game, whether that’s getting back down safely or worse. It's a stark yet undeniably valid admonition to all aspiring alpinists. Helicopters might hypothetically provide an escape route, but in reality, they often retrieve the injured or even deceased, and their rescue attempts can be hindered by harsh conditions. Beware.
(Note: Climbing the Matterhorn is NOT the kind of service offered by MountainCoach.co.uk)
So, how challenging is the Matterhorn?
For a seasoned Guide or a highly dedicated, experienced and exceptionally fit amateur, who has sufficiently acclimatised on peaks above 4000 metres, has a robust cardiovascular endurance (think club competition levels of running, cycling, and more), along with resilience cultivated through enduring similar pursuits, the actual technical climbing aspect might seem almost pedestrian.
However, I am writing this piece because should even one of those facets be lacking (a reality for most), I would suggest the Matterhorn (Cervin in French, Cevino in Italian) is hard.
(Strava data https://www.strava.com/athletes/wilkinson_thomas, recorded on a Suunto watch)
Ignoring the professionals for a moment, and basing my view from the context of someone who has run multiple ultra mountain marathons, usually finishing in the top 10%, climbed quite challenging routes like the Kufner Arête and other equally demanding challenges at altitude, and who is ‘generally fit and healthy’, I’d still say, be very careful. The internet is full of people showing videos of the final arête on the top or giving high-fives on the major milestones, all smiles and nonchalance. I could quite easily flaunt the same pictures (I have them and they show comfortable smiles and a confidence that belies the real emotions beneath the surface). The reality is also that many of those who set out with us to summit turned back, even though they all looked the part on the start line at 04:00h. A quick check on Chat GPT suggests that 30% to 40% make the summit.
For context, the Matterhorn is 4478m. You typically start the climb from about 3200m. Given the ups and downs, it’s about 1450m of height gain over a distance of about 4.5km. That would be a piece of cake if it was a low-altitude route for a mountain ultra-runner - as many of us have run races that can gain 4500m in height in less than a day. However, the Matterhorn is not at low altitude, the terrain is almost non-stop scrambling or basic climbing and you are carrying quite a few kilograms on your back (safety equipment, etc).
So, what’s it like to climb the Matterhorn?
Before I comment on my experience, it’s worth noting that it massively depends on (a) the season (b) the wind (c) the amount of snow on the Matterhorn (d) the temperate (e) the visibility and cloud (f) the precipitation (g) rockfall. This was my third attempt, the previous two having been cancelled (2018) owing to too much snow and then last year (2022) the closure of the mountain (see https://snowbrains.com/matterhorn-closed-climbers-ignored-fined/) due to rockfall (see climate change!).
(Windy on the summit - this is to be expected - it’s quite a high mountain!)
In my case, we had high, but tolerable, winds (40 - 60kph - see rope in photo above), not crazy cold temperatures (minus 8 to plus 5), good visibility and not too much snow (on the side we went up). Pretty good conditions overall.
How do you get up?
There are multiple routes up but the main ones are the Hornli Ridge on the Swiss side and the Lion Ridge on the Italian side. The main refuge on the Italian side was closed due to refurbishment, which realistically obliged us to climb from the Swiss side.
(The Plan)
Our plan was to summit via the Swiss Hornli side, traverse along the top and climb down the Italian Lion Ridge on the opposite side. Upon summiting, the wind was too strong on the Italian side (gusts can easily blow you off the mountain) and equally there was too much snow that side (you generally don’t climb a rock like the Matterhorn when it’s covered in snow as it becomes lethal), so we went up and down on the main Swiss Hornli Ridge.
(The reality)
In short, the Matterhorn is a great big lump of rock that requires non-stop bouldering skills for 1450m of very steep ascent. Nothing much more technical, but the altitude means that you start with a resting heart rate about 20 bpm higher than usual. This is because your body struggles to extract oxygen from the thinner air. Keep in mind that you won’t have slept properly during the preceding 3 days, as you’ll have been acclimating on other somewhat fatiguing routes and sleeping in noisy dormitories (where altitude-coughs and snoring disturb). The combination will have amateurs breathing like they are running their best 1500m track race within minutes of moving upwards.
There is the odd section of proper climbing (easy grade) and lots of sections where you can use fixed fat ropes to haul yourself up, which is technically easy but physically demanding. You had better be ‘endurance strong’ beyond the kind of gym-bunny-strong as you get tired really quickly from the lack of oxygen. These sections (and many others along the route) have a fatal drop beneath them. You do not want to fall, even if your climbing partner is above with a rope wrapped around a rock or the occasional peg with friction for security. You cannot have each other completely secure at all times (as much as that’s what you aim to do). That’s the game and once you have started, you have to play it to the end.
(Example of a typical technically easy section, which makes up a lot of the route, this one at about 4250m)
As far as skills go, you’ll need to be a basic climber. You’ll need to have good belaying and abseiling skills, know how to use friction protection on rocks and pegs, and you’ll need to know how to climb (and walk) on snow, ice and rock with crampons. You’ll also need to know how to take care of your nutrition and hydration - not easy when so distracted by the focus on not falling.
How quick do you need to be?
There is a general rule among the Swiss guides that if you can’t make the 4000m point within 2-hours, you go back down. I had imagined this to be an easy objective. It is not. The Swiss guides adhere to this quite rigidly and we passed pairs at this point who had started ahead of us where the guide was forcing the decision to go down. Meeting this 2-hour deadline requires you to move over steep rock at a consistent pace without stopping. All-in-all, it took us just under 8 hours (usual duration is 10-12 hours, but many take longer if either exhausted or if they have taken the wrong line on the way back).
The route back down (usually the same route you went up) typically takes about the same time as the journey up (which tells you something). It’s a mixture of abseiling, very careful down-walking, scrambling and some down-climbing. Concentration is hugely important but easier said than done when you just want to get back down, having achieved the peak. On the way down, it’s quite easy to take the wrong line. That sounds ridiculous but the staff at the refuge will confirm that many pairs do, and did, especially the day before our ascent when visibility was poor. I understand why. We aimed to take the same route down but did minor detours a couple of times and found ourselves adjusting. That was fine - no dramas.
How do I feel about it now?
I am glad that after many years of aspiring to do it, it’s achieved. The itch has been scratched. It was a very special experience. It is an iconic lump of rock! However, it is definitely not to be underestimated. I was pretty well-prepared in all senses and yet I am not embarrassed to say that I had to work hard! It leaves me worrying about those who have seen it on social media and who want to ‘have a go’, without experience. Even the world’s most high and difficult mountains (e.g. K2) can be portrayed as easy on YouTube or a website. There were a few somewhat naive types when I climbed. They all, without exception, quit or were forced to quit, early in.
(Stepping onto the mountain at 04:30h at about 3300m)
Bottom line: Don’t underestimate it. Be careful when looking at YouTube videos. Hire a Guide. Get to know that Guide and have the Guide get to know you and your abilities through other climbs together. Acclimate for 3 days beforehand at +3200. Train yourself for long endurance sessions (e.g. bike, run, swim and/or mountain walk). Get time in the steep mountains doing quite fast and big rock scrambles and simple rock climbs. You have to push at a decent pace to make the 4000m target in circa 2 hours. Dismiss your ego and have respect for the mountain. Understand that if you decide to play this game, it’s a game that you will have to play until its very end.
(Pierre - my friend and regular climbing guide, and I)
About the author: Tom Wilkinson, 48, professional mountain hiking guide (International Mountain Leader), amateur mountaineer, ultra-runner, father, husband and former CEO.
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