Climbing the Matterhorn

at 4478 meters the matterhorn is one of the great peaks of the alps carved by glaciers its sharp summit seems to pierce the sky its great stone walls were once considered impossible to climb they have witnessed many scenes of triumph and tragedy [Music] led by guides the climbers will take on the challenge of the matterhorn [Music] at the dizzying height of 4 000 meters they will climb their way up the sheer cliff wall the matterhorn dominates the skyline of the house the journey to its sharp pinnacle is about to begin [Music] the matterhorn lies on the border between switzerland and italy it's the middle of july a swiss mountain takes the climbers to the town that will serve as their starting point zermatt lies nestled in the alps at an altitude of 1620 meters it's one of europe's premier mountain resort towns some seven hundred thousand tourists visit ceremony every summer this is the main street to help preserve the original medieval appearance of the town gasoline driven cars are prohibited people get around in horse-drawn carriages and small electric vehicles geraniums add a splash of color to window sills german has flourished since the 19th century as a resort town for people who want to view or climb the matterhorn going down the main street visitors reach the most popular spot from which to view the mountain the matterhorn soars upward to a height of 4478 meters its rugged peak was carved out by glaciers over a period of centuries its graceful form draws climbers from all over the world i don't know it's a very beautiful mountain and you always see it and wonder what it would be like at the top yeah it's kind of iconic mountain of the alps isn't it i mean it's when you think of a mountain one of the first ones that enters your head is the matterhorn i mean it's it's such a perfect mountain there's an alpine center in town that provides climbers with information if desired the center will introduce climbers to local guides scaling the matterhorn is dangerous so the center encourages climbers to hire guides to accompany them simon is the climbing guy who will accompany the camera crew hello welcome how are you hi i'm simon anthony nice to meet you nice to meet you you ready for the matterhorn yes weather is perfect condition is perfect we go to the arctic center to the mountain guide office simon is 26 years old he was born and raised in zimbabwe he is one of switzerland's best climbers with world-class rock climbing skills [Music] he has climbed the matterhorn 75 times so this is the mountain we have the motherhorn nice pyramid in switzerland summit is four thousand four hundred seventy eight meter rock climbing is the main way that people reach the top of the matterhorn climbers must move quickly to protect themselves from the dangers of bad weather and falling rocks so we need to prepare for the um we need to climb the 4000 so the most important is to have to be in really really good shape good condition to to be able to walk a lot of altitude in in less time and the second is you need to be really good at climate size for the whole ascension for four thousand four hundred meters so the program director aya takahashi has eight years of experience climbing rock and snow-covered mountains in japan but this is her first time in the alps simon suggests that the team do some preparatory training before the climb [Music] it's 5 30 in the morning [Music] the team takes the ropeway to the brighthorn a mountain they can climb in a single day [Music] the brighthorn is 4164 meters high it's ideal for acclimating the team to high altitudes [Music] even in mid-summer the upper reaches are covered in ice and snow with temperatures at -10 degrees centigrade for greater safety each team member is harnessed by rope to a guide with simon leading the team reaches the 4 000 meter mark now they must begin rock climbing successful rock climbing requires careful attention to hand holes and footholds that can often be very close together all the same steps as i do huh [Music] the director carefully observes every move simon makes and follows close behind me when i say nothing you come don't climb me this training session helps simon to gauge whether the team has the ability to follow him up the sheer cliffs of the matterhorn [Music] come on yes nice really good time perfect skillfully shifting her center of gravity the director successfully climbs up good climber huh yes it's important always two small steps huh for the motherhood no problem for you huh [Music] is a little bit harder than here really a little bit longer but you will be fine huh i mean the how about the whole condition [Music] [Music] after about two hours of non-stop climbing they reach the final challenge of the climb a sharp pinnacle of rock awaits them okay the tower of rock actually tilts toward them pulling their bodies away from it [Music] yes good come on she looks for another foothold and then she makes it to the top now it's time to hike on snow the white ridge continues all the way to the summit buffeted by strong winds they cautiously advance along the knife-like crest [Music] they arrive at the bright horn summit the team seems fully acclimated to the 4 000 meter altitude they can see the matterhorn before them [Music] simon tells them that they'll approach it on the ridge to the right [Music] [Music] is a well-known route up the matterhorn [Music] it's the site of both triumph and tragedy in the history of the alps until the middle of the 19th century the matterhorn was feared as the home of demons [Music] legends spoke of mountain demons who threw rocks on people below even after most of the mountains and the alps had been successfully climbed the matterhorn remained aloof and unconquered drawn by the mountains allure a young englishman appeared with the ambition of climbing to the summit his name was edward whimper at first he attempted the italian side because the slope seemed less steep but that route proved extremely difficult after seven failed attempts whimper noticed something the mountains rock strata are set at an angle on the italian side the strata are tilted downward making it hard for climbers to keep their footing with this discovery whimper was convinced that the swiss side would be an easier climb even though the slope looked steeper whimper led a team of seven climbers up the hernley ridge on the swiss side a route that no one had tried before as he had expected the rock strata tilted upward providing secure footholds [Music] the team made good progress [Music] on july 14 1865 they reached the summit the seemingly invincible matterhorn was conquered at last but tragedy awaited the victorious climbers who were all tied together soon after they began their descent one of them lost his balance and fell the force of the fault broke the rope sending four of the team plunging to their deaths whimper and two other team members survived the triumphant success of the first climb was clouded by the tragedy of the four deaths [Music] the rope used by the whimper team is on display in a museum in zermatt [Music] made of hemp it's a centimeter thick [Music] the end is tattered giving modern day visitors a chilling taste of just how cruel the demon mountain can be the name matterhorn means meadowpeak in german [Music] about midway up the mountainside there are grassy fields called alps [Music] blue lakes and snow-covered peaks complete the gorgeous scene [Music] this is lake rifle which lies in the highlands at an altitude of more than 2 700 meters the matterhorn is reflected upside down in its still waters it is considered one of the most beautiful scenic views in the alps a profusion of alpine flowers bloom in july [Music] edelweiss is one of the alps most famous flowers its name means noble white [Music] marmots also live in the alpine meadows a type of squirrel they grow as large as rabbits [Music] traditionally the summer meadows of the alps have been used as pastures for livestock climbs up to the highland fields once a week to tend his flock of 120 sheep he gives them feed mixed with salt the meadow grasses must be supplemented to provide the nutrition the sheep need heinie grew up in the shadow of the matterhorn rising above the neighboring mountains the matterhorn may indeed be a heavenly gift [Music] in late july the camera crew is ready at last to climb the matterhorn [Music] the closer they approach the more intimidating the great stone mountain appears the expedition will take two days and one night they'll start by taking the ropeway from zamat to a point midway up the mountain from there they'll hike a mountain trail to a hut where they'll spend the night at an altitude of 3260 meters on the second day they'll climb hurnley ridge following the east side of the ridge they'll pass by an emergency shelter the ridge will eventually lead them to the summit at an altitude of 4478 meters the team arrives at hurnley hut a hike of about two and a half hours from the ropeway station they'll spend the night here at an altitude of 3260 meters simon meets the team here hello hello hello how are you good yes ready for tomorrow good condition no problem hearnley ridge rises behind the hut the best time to climb is in the summer after successive days of good weather when there's little snow such ideal conditions prevail only about 20 days out of the year the kitchen staff are kept busy during the summer season currently hunt has served mountain climbers for 130 years it's now managed by kurt lauber who also works as a climbing guide as usual the hut is full of climbers from all over the world they fortify themselves with a swiss style stewed beef in preparation for the next day's climb kurt suddenly puts on his climbing gear and heads out apparently there was an accident on hernley ridge a helicopter arrives from zermatt kurt also leads the mountain rescue team he works closely with the doctor paramedic and pilot who have just flown in to speed up their rescue response kurt hangs from a wire as he's flown to the accident site rescue operations on the matterhorn are of the highest quality in the world ten minutes later the helicopter returns with a stretcher suspended underneath a woman in her 40s has been seriously injured she slid down the mountainside after being hit by a falling rock [Music] warmer afternoon temperatures melt the mountain ice making rocks more likely to fall [Music] apart how often this kind of accident happens oh you know now it's high season so it's happened almost every day or sometimes two times a day or it's not always people are so lucky like today quite often the people getting getting killed and that's a bit more tragic the sound of breaking ice echoes in the night more than 500 climbers have died on the matterhorn since the first ascent it's three in the morning people sleeping quietly in the hut suddenly burst into lively activity simon begins his preparations along with the others for safety each climber goes in tandem with a guide they tie their ropes firmly inside the hutch the team leaves the hut at 3 50 a.m it takes more than eight hours to climb to the summit and return climbers get an early start so that they can avoid the afternoon hours when rocks are more likely to fall a stone wall looms before them in the darkness this is where they'll begin rock climbing [Music] as they climb light gradually suffuses the sky behind the mountains [Music] at 5 30 am the sun rises over the alps [Music] the climbers are treated to their first view of the matterhorn summit bathed in morning light [Music] erosion and weathering has made the face of the rock wall quite brittle the climbers must be careful to choose stable rocks for holds part of the spot they depend on experienced guides like simon who are well acquainted with the mountain suddenly the director is hit by a small stone accidentally dislodged by a climber above on the matterhorn one must always be vigilant climbing gamba clinging tenuously to a small outcrop she searches for a handhold remembering her training she climbs calmly [Music] okay it's always hot four thousand meter really good at 6 30 a.m the team reaches solve they've achieved an altitude gain of 740 meters more than halfway to the summit [Music] but difficult climbing lies ahead the gradient increases resulting in very challenging rock climbing as they ascend the team encounters the traffic of other climbers the difficulty of the climb makes progress slow simon goes around the waiting people going further and further in the usual route is here simon is taking a different way down the team follows him with intense concentration local guides the best code waiting for other climbers not only wastes time but increases the danger of falling rocks okay you're right simon leads them up a shortcut that only a native-born guide would know at 4 200 meters the director emerges on a slightly more level ridge known as the matterhorn's shoulder they've climbed without rest gaining nearly 1 000 meters in altitude they can feel their strength start to fade fatigue is clearly visible on this woman's face perhaps she's not completely acclimated to the high altitude others have had an easier time a climber and guide descend energetically they were the first to reach the summit on this day nice good condition bravo at 4 300 meters the gradient suddenly becomes steep again in fact this is the most difficult passage with the ridge running almost perpendicular for about 150 meters the climbers rely on ropes that have been anchored in the rocks this was the section where whimper and his first ascent team met with tragedy start off to fix ropes under 50 meter you go slowly steady sometimes i go faster for delaying you okay this will be hard but you can do it okay grabbing a thick rope like one might use in a tug of war he pulls his body upward okay the rocks are slippery with no sure foothold they must rely on the strength of their arms simon ascends as if on wings going quickly from one rope to the next after climbing up about 10 rope segments the director's legs grow weak and wobbly the high altitude makes breathing difficult after it's easier then we come to the roof huh finish fix ropes then then we go for something okay okay but wait okay gathering her strength she pulls herself up again the chain okay this is the hardest part yes strong no problem you can do it gamba the most difficult part of the climb is now behind her perfect okay the final challenge is a steep slope a single misstep could be deadly slipping would mean a fall of 1 200 meters to the glacier below the climbers come out on the ridge that leads to the summit italy is on the left of the razor sharp bridge switzerland is on the right so okay 10 more meters huh to the left of the ridge there's a spot that's about a meter higher than the surroundings [Music] at nine o'clock in the morning they reach the summit of the matterhorn [Music] congratulations four thousand four hundred thirty [Music] good perfect the challenging climb took about five hours to complete it led to a summit with a 360 degree panoramic view the great range of the owls stretches below them in all directions as far as the eye can see [Music] [Applause] [Music] zerma lies three thousand meters below them now they are standing atop that sharp pinnacle of stone that had towered above them when they had gazed up from the town streets [Music] always in the metro and it's really happy to come out on the summit it's something really special for me because i can see it from my home everyday so you have a really close connection to it [Music] led by a guide who truly loves this mountain the climbers conquered the summit the spectacular view erases all thoughts of the difficult climb for centuries the matterhorn seemed aloof and insurmountable [Music] 140 years after the first ascent it still gives an unforgettable thrill to anyone who stands on its summit [Music] you

Channel: David Snow

Views: 748,055

Keywords: Mountain, Matterhorn, Mountain Climbing, Sports, Mountaineering, Switzerland, Zermatt, Climb, Climbing, Summit, Europe, Rock Climbing, Alpine, Guide, Guided, Snow, Ice, Rock, Skiing, Grand Teton, Mount Rainier, training, How-To, The Matterhorn, Matterhorn Mountain, summiting the matterhorn, climbing the matterhorn, best matterhorn videos, matterhorn documentary, matterhorn documentaries

Id: UUd59-kTSHU

Length: 42min 49sec (2569 seconds)

Published: Thu Aug 26 2021