Symbol of Swiss Confederation, Matterhorn is considered by mountaineers as one of the three most beautiful mountains in the World, with Ama Dablam (Himalaya) and Alpamayo (Andes). Matterhorn symbolizes, through the boldness of its faces and the beauty of its pyramid, the ideal mountain that all mountaineers wish to ascend one day.
A demanding ascent:
Two routes, the Italian normal route (Lion ridge, difficulty AD) and the Swiss normal route (Hörnli ridge, difficulty AD) can be used to ascend Matterhorn.
The low success rate on these two routes (just 40 % of climbers reach the summit of Matterhorn) is due to the main following reasons :
- An insufficient training: the ascent of Matterhorn is long (3,930 vertical feet to be climbed from Hörnli hut to the summit / 2,130 vertical feet to be climbed from Carrel hut on the Lion ridge to the summit), tiring (many parts of the ascent are equipped with fixed ropes on which you have to pull to climb), and the altitude amplifies these difficulties. To ascend Matterhorn, you must be in very good physical condition.
- An insufficient acclimatization. The summit of Matterhorn is 14,688 feet asl, so you need to be perfectly acclimatized before this long altitude ascent. During our course, the three nights before the ascent (Val d'Ayas Guides hut, 11,236 feet, Monte Cervino Guides hut, 11,413 feet, and finally Carrel hut at 12,562 feet) and the ascents of Pollux (13,398 feet) + Breithorn peaks (four summits between 13,470 and 13,664 feet) during the two first days of the course will bring you to a perfect acclimatement.
- A lack of practice in rock climbing. Even if a few parts of the ascent look like walking, many rock climbing parts (some quite easy, some quite difficult with fixed ropes) make the ascent a AD difficulty route. You have soon climbed peaks with mountain boots (not with climbing shoes), and you can go down a easy rock-climbing route without abseiling. You know how to move in mountain terrain. The competent use of crampons is a further requirement. You need to practise two times a week rock-climbing (indoor or outdoor) during the 3 months preceding the course.
- Many Matterhorn ascent programs do not include one extra day to shift one day later the ascent in case of bad weather : our program includes one extra day.
Do not underestimate the ascent of Matterhorn, which was the last but one high peak in the Alps to be climbed, and still is one of the most difficult classic climbs in the Alps. If you lack physical condition and rock-climbing practice, you will not be able to reach its summit.
- Our climb the Matterhorn Course: To allow you to have the best chances to reach the summit of Matterhorn, we have created a course beginning by two days in altitude to allow you to acclimatize while ascending summits with rock-climbing and sleeping in huts above 11,000 feet asl. On the third day of the course, you will go up to Carrel hut, and on the fourth day you will climb Matterhorn and go back to the valley and then to Chamonix. A fifth day, named "safety day", may be used if bad weather obliges your guide to shift the ascent one day later. You will have no extra charge to pay if you have to use this fifth day for the ascent, due to bad weather.
- The choice of the Italian Normal Route: The italian normal route (Lion ridge) has the advantage of a shorter route from Carrel hut, 12,562 feet, to the Matterhorn summit, 14,688 feet, than the swiss normal route (Hornli ridge) starting at Hörnli hut, 10,695 feet. In addition, during all the climb, the atmosphere is much more convivial and cordial with the italian guides of Cervinia, than it can be on the swiss normal route with other guides. The italian and swiss normal routes have the same level of difficulty, AD.
- Ratio Guide/Clients: The laws of the independent Aosta italian region stipulate that on Lion ridge, a guide can rope up with only one client. Of course, we obey the law, and we post one guide for two climbers on the first two days of this course, and then one guide for one climber on the Matterhorn ascent (a second guide will join the main guide for the Lion ridge ascent).
Meeting Place: Chamonix Mont Blanc, France, by 05.30 a.m., at the Montenvers train station (not to be confused with SNCF railway station, located at 200 meters). End of the course: Chamonix Mont Blanc, France, end of the afternoon, on the fourth day if you climb Matterhorn that day, or on the fifth day if you climb Matterhorn that day.
------------------------------------------
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Meeting at Chamonix. Transfer in the guide's car, through Mont-Blanc tunnel and the valley of Aosta, to Breuil Cervinia (90 minutes drive). Testa Gria cable car (11,413 feet), Monte Cervino Guides hut (11,413 feet), where we will leave a part of our pic-nics and clothes to lighten our backpacks. Ascent to Plateau Rosa, 12,460 feet, traverse beneath Breithorn peaks. Ascent of Pollux, 13,398 feet, by its normal route: rock and snow climbing, with fixed cables in the technical parts. Descent to Val d'Ayas Guides hut, 11,236 feet. Night by the hut. Duration of climbing: 6 hours. Difference of level: 2,477 vertical feet up, 2,654 vertical feet down.
Day 2: Departure from the hut before dawn. Ascent towards the ridges joining Roccia Nera to the Breithorn peaks. Ascent of Roccia Nera, 13,392 feet, and climbing across the Breithorn peaks (four summits between 13,470 and 13,664 feet), with rock and snow climbing on the ridges. Descent to Plateau Rosa and Monte Cervino Guides hut (11,413 feet. During the afternoon, rest in the hut. Night by the hut. Duration of climbing: 7 hours. Difference of level: 3,084 vertical feet up, 2,907 vertical feet down.
Day 3: Descent by cable car to Plan Maison, 8,359 feet, where we will meet our second guide. Ascent to Carrel hut, 12,562 feet, on the Lion ridge, the Italian normal route. Night by the hut. Duration of walking, and then climbing: 6 hours. Difference of level: 4,203 vertical feet up, 0 vertical feet down.
Day 4: Ascent of Matterhorn by the Italian normal route, till the Italian summit (14,684 feet) and the Swiss summit (14,688 feet). Descent back to Carrel hut and Breuil Cervinia. Transfer to Chamonix in the guide's car. Arrival in Chamonix by the end of the afternoon. Duration of climbing, and then walking: 11 hours. Difference of level: 2,126 vertical feet up, 8,136 vertical feet down.
Day 5: An extra day to be used for the ascent in case of bad weather.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes: one guide for two climbers during the two first days, one guide per climber for the ascent of Matterhorn, transfers from Chamonix, cable-cars, half-board in the huts, guide fees, one free extra day if the ascent has to be postponed in case of bad weather.
Price Excludes: picnics.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
Switzerland
Italy
Outdoor: Mountain Ranger
Mountain/Rock Climbing
Ice Climbing
Email it to a friend:
Click here to email this vacation to a friend
|
