Matterhorn Italy. Matterhorn: killer mountain. Skiing in Breuil-Cervinia

Matterhorn (Monte Cervino, Italian)- a mountain peak in the Alps on the Italian-Swiss border, in the heart of the Vallis Alps. Height 4478 meters. Rising above the Swiss village of Zermatt and the Italian village of Breuil-Cervinia. The name of the mountain comes from the German words matte - meadow And horn - peak.

More books and photographs have been written about this peak than about all the other peaks combined. No mountain in the world is as famous as it is - only because of its shape. His name has already become a household name for peaks with a similar shape. Even California has its own Matterhorn at Disneyland, and Japan has a giant treadmill in its famous silhouette.

Not surprisingly, this peak is on the wish list of almost all climbers in the world. On a normal climbing path, up to a hundred climbers attempt to climb daily. Sometimes even queues form on the ridges, because there is not much space on the top and a maximum of 15 - 20 people can fit there at the same time. Zermatt gneisses are famous for their flowability, and therefore the danger of rockfalls is extremely high on the mountain.

The Matterhorn is the source of income for two purely touristic settlements: Cervinia from the south and Zermatt from the north.

View of the Zmutt Ridge from the northwest, north on the left, west on the right

Four ribs - four walls form this almost perfect pyramid in a rather gentle ridge. It rises a thousand meters above the ridges, and its isolation gives the Matterhorn a special beauty and charm. The peak is bounded by an eighty-meter horizontal ridge, in which the western end forms the Italian, lower, peak with a cross, and the eastern end forms the Swiss, higher peak.

The eastern wall with a drop of 1000 meters and the western wall with a drop of 1200 meters are very rarely walked: the rocks are badly destroyed, and the objective danger is too high. In the upper part of the eastern wall there is a zone of terraces. It runs from the Hernli ridge to the Furgen ridge just below the top tower of the Matterhorn. Between the eastern and western walls lies the famous north face of the Matterhorn. She, along with the northern walls of Gran Joras and Eiger, is ranked among the most difficult alpine combined walls. The most notable landforms are the gigantic couloir system running from left-bottom-right-up, along which the first ascent of the wall was made, and the gloomy overhanging part of the plumb line called the "Zmutt Nose". Extremely difficult routes of the highest category of complexity pass along it.

The rocky and wide southern wall lies in Italy and also rises 1200 meters above the Cervino glacier. It is limited to the right by the Furg ridge, and to the left by the Lyon ridge.

North face, on the left - Hernley ridge, on the right - Zmutt ridge

At this time, there are more than thirty routes and options on the mountain. All of them are quite serious in their "weight category". The potential for new first ascents is practically non-existent. Only on the south side of the mountain some side walls of the buttresses are "clean", but the passage along them does not fit into the logic of the "first ascent". Despite the flourishing tourism at the foot and the many signs of progress that have entangled the summit, we must not forget that we are talking about a SERIOUS mountain. Only independent climbers with a lot of experience can try their luck on the slopes of this beautiful mountain. The Matterhorn will remain a symbol of mountaineering for future generations of climbers. I wish everyone to rise to the top of their dreams, and it does not have to be the Matterhorn. For some it will be Everest, for some it will be El Capitan, and for some it will be Amangeldy Peak...

Story

The Matterhorn was conquered later than most other known Alpine peaks. This was due not so much to technical difficulties as to the fear that the mountain instilled in the first climbers with its walls. The first serious attempts to climb the Matterhorn date back to 1857 year. They were committed from the Italian side. Despite the appearance, the Italian side turned out to be difficult and the climbers were forced to retreat.

For the first time, a group led by Edward Whymper climbed to the top. July 14, 1865. While descending the Hernley Ridge, 4 people died as a result of a broken rope.

Three days later July 17, 1865 a group led by Jean-Antoine Carrel climbed to the summit from the Italian side - the first ascent of the Lyon ridge.

IN 1867 The Marquinez brothers climb a shorter ridge to Tyndal peak than open the first alternative climb from Italy.

IN 1868 John Tyndall and his team traversed the summit. And in 1871 The first woman to climb the Matterhorn was Lucy Walker.

1879 A. Mummery and his Swiss guide make the first ascent of the northwestern ridge, called the Zmutt ridge. At the same time, the Swiss Imzeng and Zurbriggen pass for the first time one of the walls, namely the western wall, spending only 17 hours on the entire ascent from Zermatt to the top of the Matterhorn.

IN 1882 three brothers Carrel and Vittorio Sella make the first ascent in winter. Since they descended along the simpler Hernley ridge, this became at the same time the first winter traverse of this peak.

1930 E. Benedetti, M. Bich and L. Carrel make the first ascent of the southeast, Furgg ridge.

The most difficult North Face of the Matterhorn was climbed August 1, 1931 Franz and Toni Schmid (Franz and Toni Schmid). Climbers receive Olympic Gold medals for climbing games in Los Angeles.

Northern wall, illuminated part - Zmutt-nose wall

1933 Frenchman A.Chretier with two Italians B.Olietti and A.Gaspard make the first ascent of the route "Cross de Amicis" completely with a straight line to the ridge. All three die while descending the Lyon ridge.

1936 G. Cervazutti ascends to the summit in three days in winter alone.

1953 V. Bonatti and R. Bignami pass the Furgg-ridge exactly along the line of the ridge and go directly to the tower.

1962 First ascent in winter on the north face. The Swiss H. von Allmen and P. Etter reached the summit in two days, a day ahead of the bunch of Germans and Austrians that came out with them.

Routes on the Matterhorn

Main routes on the Matterhorn

Mount Matterhorn as supposedly a pyramid

Chudinov V.A.

In one of the broadcasts, the Matterhorn mountain was mentioned as a pyramid. I turned to Wikipedia, but there I could only read: “ Matterhorn - a mountain in the Alps. Located on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Height 4478 meters. The mountain rises between the Swiss resort of Zermatt and the Italian Breuil-Cervinia. The mountain's name comes from the German words Matte (meadow) and Horn (peak). The French and Italian names go back to the adjective lat.silvanus- "forest».

The fact that this is a pyramid can be read in a number of places. For example, at the address https://vk.com/video-37934650_167610960 February 20, 2014 it is written: " Located on the border of Switzerland and Italy, the Matterhorn is a kind of pyramid in the center of Europe: four triangular faces converge to its vertex. Like any other pyramid (be it the famous pyramids in Egypt or the slightly less well-known similar structures in Mexico), Mount Matterhorn is also full of mysteries and tragic stories.».

Whether a pyramid is found in the Alps or not, in any case, Russian inscriptions can be found in these places, which I would like to find out.

Rice. 1. View of the top of the Matterhorn and my reading of the inscriptions

Description of the mountain. « If you arrange the traditional symbols of Switzerland in ascending order of size, you get something like this: Swiss watch, Swiss knife, Swiss chocolate, Swiss cheese, Swiss bank. Well, the last will be the largest symbol of Switzerland - Mount Matterhorn.

We shot the Matterhorn in 2010, when we went skiing with Dima Moiseenko in Zermatt. We had to fly to the mountain twice. On the first day, we flew close to it, right to the foot, and took traditional panoramas. However, in the evening, after gluing them together, we discovered that in the panoramas the huge Matterhorn, 4478 meters high, for some reason looks like a small mound somewhere off to the side. Although when we were sitting in a helicopter, he hung over us like a giant giant. An amazing optical effect, the nature of which probably lies in the fact that it is not easy to put the whole world around inside a small computer monitor. By the way, the Italians call the Matterhorn differently: Monte Cervino.

Well, now some official information: Located on the border of Switzerland and Italy, Mount Matterhorn is a kind of pyramid in the center of Europe: four triangular faces converge to its top. Like any other pyramid (be it the famous pyramids in Egypt or the slightly less well-known similar structures in Mexico), Mount Matterhorn is also full of mysteries and tragic stories. The Matterhorn takes only the fifth place among the Alpine peaks in height, but in terms of the difficulty of climbing it has no equal among its neighbors. Its faces are so insidious that the most experienced climbers could not climb them until 1865. And the southern slope remained unconquered for another 66 years.

And the ascents themselves more than once brought very contradictory results. So, the first to climb the mountain was the Briton Edward Whymper with a group of climbers. And during the descent, four of the pioneers died as a result of a rope break ... In 1933, three Frenchmen make the first ascent of one of the Matterhorn routes - and all three die on the way back. One of the climbers who became famous thanks to the Matterhorn was guide Herman Perrin. He set himself the task of climbing this mountain as many as 150 times, but when he had less than ten ascents left before the record, he broke and crashed to death.

And although by now absolutely all the walls and ribs of the Matterhorn have been passed, and the guides lead a large number of tourists to the top (so that some routes are heavily overloaded), 10 to 15 people die here every year.

The Matterhorn has its own character - at least the inhabitants of the nearby town of Zermatt do not doubt it. They say that even the weather in Switzerland, in this part of it, depends precisely on the mood of the legendary mountain. When the sky frowns and the 4478-meter peak of the Matterhorn is hidden behind the clouds, this means that the mountain is not in a good mood. When the Matterhorn wants to play a joke, it can “appear as Vesuvius”: the cloud covers only part of the mountain, creating the feeling that smoke is swirling from the top, as if before an eruption. But when this hill is in a good mood, it flaunts, gleaming with a glacier cap on top, as if inviting you to take an unforgettable photo of the Matterhorn.

The city of Zermatt, lying on a mountainside at an altitude of 1,608 meters, takes full advantage of having such a neighbor. This is not just one of the most famous ski resorts in Switzerland: it is, in fact, the hallmark of tourism in this country. There is something to do here all year round, but summer activity, as you might guess, is also associated with holidays in the mountains. Up to the fact that the so-called "dawn trains" were launched from Zermatt, with the help of which you can catch the stunning sunrise on the Matterhorn...

The mountain is exploited in approximately the same way from the neighboring country. At an altitude of 2006 meters above sea level at the foot of the southern slope of the Matterhorn is the village of Breuil-Cervinia - an extremely popular ski resort in Italy. They have nothing to share with Zermatt: the mountain is common, and nothing can be done about it. Therefore, both resorts have common ski slopes, common tourist routes and a huge number of travelers who come here for active and ski holidays in the Alps.

..And they say that anyone who sees the Matterhorn will be lucky and rich. Maybe that's why so much money is kept in Swiss safes? We invite you to admire this famous Swiss natural monument: a great excuse to check out a local proverb!» .

Rice. 2. Engraving by Gustave Dore about the first ascent of climbers on the Matterhorn

My reading of the inscriptions. Rice. 1 I borrowed from the same article. There is an impression that the slope of the foreground is attached to the pyramid, which is seen in the background. How this is possible is unclear. However, this photo makes it possible to read the inscriptions on this slope.

First, I read the inscriptions on the top of this slope, having enlarged the image a little. Words are read here YARA WORKSHOP, and inside the selected fragment - the word SCYTHIA. And on the right there is a view of the mountain located further, and on it I read the words YARA TEMPLE.

To the left, a triangular shadow from the Matterhorn falls on the snow of the abyss, and even to the left there is another mountain on which I again read the words TEMPLE YAR. Then I return to reading the inscriptions on the Matterhorn, just below the word WORKSHOP, and in inverted color. Here I read the words again TEMPLE YAR.

To the left and below is a full-face female face with a large mouth. To the right, on a strip of exposed rock, I read the words MASK YAR MARY. The second full-face female face is located to the right and lower, on a less steep slope of the mountain; from the mouth, as it were, a cigarette sticks out to the left. There is an inscription on the face MARA. And to the left and a little higher in inverted color I read the inscription SCYTHIA YARA.

Rice. 3. My reading of the inscriptions in fig. 2

About the first mountain climb. You can read about it on Wikipedia: Since 1857, several unsuccessful ascents of the Matterhorn have been undertaken, mostly from the Italian side. The first successful ascent of the Matterhorn was made on July 14, 1865 from Zermatt by a group of Englishman Edward Whymper along the Hörnligrat ridge. During the descent, 4 people died as a result of a rope break. Three days later, on July 17, 1865, a group led by Jean-Antoine Carrel (fr. Jean-Antoine Carrel), a guide from Breuil-Cervinia, climbed to the top from the Italian side - the first ascent of the Lyon ridge. In 1871, the first woman climbed to the top of the Matterhorn - Lucy Walker. The most difficult North Face of the Matterhorn was climbed on August 1, 1931 by Franz and Toni Schmid».

Rice. 4. The top of the mountain in the sun

The same Wikipedia article contains a reproduction of the engraving by Gustave Dore "The first ascent of the Matterhorn", 1865, fig. 2.

My reading of the inscriptions. Gustave Dore, as an excellent engraver, was able to render a series of inscriptions which, with a slight increase in contrast, I can easily read. First, I examine the stone on the right, in which the alpenstock is stuck, in reversed color. Here I read the words MARA, then TEMPLE YAR, and finally the word SCYTHIA.

Then I read the words on the rock to the left of the third climber from the bottom. Here I read the words YARA TEMPLE. Finally, I examine the two lower right stones, lying above the lower one, signed Doré. Words are read here YAROV CHURCH OF MARY.

It is clear that these words exactly repeat what I read in Fig. 1.

Rice. 5. The same view as in fig. 1 but with different lighting

Rice. 4 is taken from the article. The inscription is read on two sides of the top SE SCYTHIA YARA. This inscription duplicates what I read in the previous figure and means that Scythia Yar was not limited to Vienna, but stretched even further west and south, affecting the south of Switzerland and the north of Italy.

On fig. 5 I consider the same view as in fig. 1, but when a shadow falls on the mountain. In addition, I am now interested in the lower part of the mountain, where you can see not only the inscriptions, but also the face. With his consideration, I begin. This is a bust portrait of a man in the right profile with facial features of a protomorphic race: a sloping chin, a flattened wide nose, and a very large mouth. The man has a goatee. To the left of it, at the level of the neck, there is an inscription: SE ROD.

And at the level of the head, but to the left of it, there is a double reading dating, which reads: 300-500 YEAR YAR. This, in the chronology familiar to us, not only means 1156-1356 A.D. , but also suggests that a secondary Arkona is located somewhere nearby.

However, this inscription did not take long to find. It is on the right, inside the fragment circled in black. The signature reads like this: YARA(in larger letters) and ARKONA(letters are slightly smaller). And to the right of the previous fragment, I read the words RUSS YARA, which confirms the reading of the name Arkona.

Further, my attention is drawn to the top of the rightmost cliff, resembling a house under a gable roof. Here, on the vertical wall, the inscription is read again ARKONA YARA. And inside the leftmost fragment, circled in a white frame, you can see a male face full face, covered with snow. At eye level I read the word YARA, at the level of the mustache - the word TEMPLE.

Arkona on top of a mountain? - This is weird. It is tedious to move on to the consideration of the geoglyph.

Matterhorn Peak (Matterhorn)- this is a very beautiful mountain located on the border and. In Switzerland, it is located in the village of Zermatt. (Zermatt), in the south of the canton of Valais (Valais). Its height is 4478 meters. This is one of the most recognizable and picturesque mountains in the world, as well as the symbol of the famous chocolate brand - Toblerone. (Toblerone). Although it is not the highest mountain in Switzerland, it is the most popular. It seems fantastic and fabulous, and always looks different depending on the lighting, due to its pyramidal shape. Many compare it with a sharp mountain "tooth" or with a cobra that is ready to attack. She always surprises both visitors and those who see her every day with her unusualness.

Matterhorn Peak: How to get there

Airplane. The nearest airports to Zermatt (and to the resort town of Tesch (Tasch)) are located at (Zurich Airport) and (Geneva Airport). They are located at a distance of about 265 km (from Zurich) and 255 km (from Geneva). You can rent a car or take a taxi at the airport. Also, on the sites you can find the services of travel agencies. More information about timetables and prices can be found on the official website of Zurich Airport and on the official website of Geneva Airport.

Train. Both from Zurich and from Geneva to Zermatt, or to Täsch, can be reached by train in about 3-4 hours with a change in the city of Visp (visp). Prices range from 60 to 75 EUR for an individual ticket. More information can be found on the official website of the Swiss Federal Railways. It is worth noting that the train journey will be quite interesting, as it passes through beautiful Swiss cities, then passes through the deepest mountain gorge in Switzerland, and gives the opportunity to see the highest peaks.

Automobile. If you want to travel to Zermatt by car, you should keep in mind that car transport is prohibited in Zermatt itself. Therefore, you will need to get to the town of Tesch, which is located about 5 kilometers from Zermatt. You can get from Zurich in 4 hours, following the routes "A1" and "A9", which is about 346 kilometers. From Geneva, the road will take about 3 hours along the route "A9", about 231 kilometers.

Further, in the town of Tesch, you need to leave your car in the parking lot of the Matterhorn terminal (Matterhorn Terminal Tasch). It provides more than 2,000 parking spaces, parking for a week can cost around 100 EUR. Then take the train to Zermatt, which leaves every 20 minutes and takes you in about 10-15 minutes to the center of Zermatt. It will cost about 8-10 EUR.

Matterhorn Peak: Life Hacks

To get a good view of the Matterhorn Peak, there are several options. Use the Gornergrat mountain railway (Gornergrat Bahn). This is a great opportunity to view the Matterhorn ice massif and admire the nature around. The ticket costs from 47 EUR. To learn more, use the site, which also has contact information.

Take the funicular up to Rothorn Peak (Rothorn) which will take you to an altitude of about 3100 meters. It will offer one of the best views of the Matterhorn mountain, which resembles a picture from Toblerone chocolate. Ticket price - from 34 EUR.

The highest cable car "Ice Paradise Matterhorn" (Matterhorn Glacier Paradise) is a way to fully enjoy the Swiss, French and Italian Alps, as well as see the highest peak in Europe - Mt. (Mont Blanc)(4810 meters). Ticket price - from 58 EUR.

Matterhorn Museum (Matterhorn Museum - Zermatlantis) is an opportunity to learn the history of the town of Zermatt. This is an underground museum that contains both original houses, multimedia rooms, and the objects of the first ascent of the Matterhorn. The museum will tell you the story of how Zermatt evolved from an ordinary farming town into a world-famous Alpine resort. The price of an entrance ticket is from 10 EUR.

• Location: border between Switzerland and Italy (near Zermatt)
• Mountain Range: Pennine Alps
• Height above sea level: 4478 m
• First ascent: July 14, 1865

- the world-famous picturesque mountain in the Central Alps. She has no "neighbors", so a single highest hill looks very impressive. The pyramidal shape of the mountain adds to its sophistication. The Matterhorn is the most recalcitrant and dangerous object for climbing, but, nevertheless, some lucky ones managed to climb to the top. Today, the Matterhorn is one of the superb attractions. A lot is connected with it, which we will definitely tell you about in our article.

Where is the Mattehorn located?

Mount Matterhorn is located on the border and Italy. It belongs to the mountain range of the Pennine Alps, so a lot functions around it. Of these, closest to the foot are located (Switzerland) and Breuil-Cervinia (Italy). They are the best ski resorts in their countries. Although these resort towns belong to different states, they are connected by the ancient Theodul Pass on the eastern side of the mountain. Therefore, moving from one resort to another is not difficult. Many people are afraid to pass the way of the pass, because it is located at an altitude of 3295 meters, and the road itself is sometimes covered with solid ice, sometimes covered with snow.

There is another pass near the mountain that connects the tourist centers, it is called Furggjoh. But, despite the fact that it is a little lower, its path is still considered dangerous and only brave climbers will dare to go through it.

Mount Matterhorn has two peaks that are located at a distance of about 100 m. The highest point of Mount Matterhon is 4478 meters and is called the "Swiss peak". The Italian peak is located on the western side, its height is 4477 m. They got their name due to the nationality of the first conquerors, but not because of the territorial division, because both are located on the border between the two countries.

The Matterhorn has four steep slopes that create a visually pyramidal shape. Each slope points to a certain part of the world (north, south, etc.) and got its name. They are quite steep, so the snow rarely lingers on the mountain. Basically, he descends to the foot of the avalanche. This phenomenon is very dangerous, so many people are afraid to be near the Matterhorn when the mountain dresses up in a white robe. Mostly avalanches descend in the spring and summer, and in winter the excellent white Matterhorn mountain resembles a glacial obelisk, the beauty of which causes only admiration from the audience.

Mount Matterhorn is really very dangerous for climbers. In addition to the steep mountain slopes, brave conquerors will face many difficulties associated with weather conditions. In an instant, a serious snow storm can break out on the mountain at any time of the year, and one should prepare for such dangers for a long time.

There were only about ten attempts to climb the Matterhorn. Brave climbers gathered in large groups and equipped with everything necessary, but only a few managed to climb the Matterhorn peak. In July 1865, an Italian group of seven climbers set out to conquer the summit. It consisted of: Edward Whymper, Lord Francias Douglas, Charles Hudson, Charles Hadow and three unknown guides. All of them had previously attempted to conquer the peaks of the Matterhorn, but did not achieve the desired results. Although the heights that they managed to climb were the first to be reached by them (3350 m, 4003 m and 4120 m). July 14, 1865 at 13.45 they were able to reach the summit of the Matterhorn and became its first conquerors.

This victory soon turned into a tragedy. When climbers descended from a height, a snow storm began. All members of the group were in a bunch and the last one in it slipped, knocking down the next three. Those who could stand on their feet grabbed the mouth of the mountain, but the rope of the bundle broke and four climbers fell into the abyss. Two guides and Edward Whymper returned from the expedition.

On the slopes of the Matterhorn, a total of 600 people died. These horrific facts have stopped many brave climbers. The Matterhorn was the last mountain in the Swiss Alps to be conquered.

Climbing the mountain is dangerous, and not every climber, even an experienced one, will dare to do this, but you should definitely take a look at one of the main attractions of Switzerland. It is best to do this from the town of Zermatt closest to the mountain. You can get to it using public transport. There are absolutely no cars here, but still there is an option to get there by the famous Glacier Express train, which we love so much. Stunning landscapes with mountain views are provided to you!

The famous Matterhorn is located in the Alps on the very border between Italy and Switzerland, which runs clearly along the very top of the mountain.

The shape of the mountain resembles a regular tetrahedral pyramid. Moreover, its edges are oriented to the cardinal points. The slopes of the mountain are incredibly steep. The maximum steepness of the slopes reaches 37 degrees. Therefore, there is practically no snow on them, since all of it constantly descends from them in avalanches.

The height of the Matterhorn is 4477.5 meters. This is not the highest mountain on the planet, but definitely one of the most inaccessible in the world. That is why this peak has become one of the last in the Alps that man managed to conquer.

The history of the conquest of the Matterhorn

It is known that until 1865 more than a dozen attempts to conquer the Matterhorn peak were recorded, but it remained impregnable.

The first successful ascent dates back to July 14, 1865. A group of seven climbers led by Eduard Whymper managed to climb the highest point of the Matterhorn along the Hernli ridge from the Swiss side.
I must say that the ascent was quite successful, but the descent was unsuccessful. Four people died due to a rope break on the descent.

In just 3 days of the same year, two more climbers managed to conquer the Matterhorn along the Lyon ridge from Italy.
After that, the ascents began to take place quite regularly.

How was the height of the Matterhorn measured?

The Matterhorn rises 1042 meters above the surrounding landscape. But the absolute height above sea level was measured several times, and each time with different results.

For the first time in 1792, with the help of a navigational measuring device of a sextant and a 50-foot chain, measurements were taken. The calculation data turned out to be 4,501 meters above the sea.

In 1868, using a barometer, they calculated the height of 4,505 meters.

In the early 20s of the last century, the height of the Matterhorn was calculated with an accuracy of 50 cm. The result is 4,477.5 meters.

Even on this, scientists did not calm down, and in 1999, using GPS technology, they measured the height of the peak with an accuracy of 1 cm. Its height turned out to be 4,477 meters and 54 cm.

Mount Matterhorn today

Now this peak is a famous tourist and climbing site in the Alps. Every year thousands of climbers try to conquer the Matterhorn. The first most popular route up is the route of the first conquest (from the Swiss side), and the second, respectively, is the route of the second ascent (from the Italian side). You can conquer the Matterhorn on other ridges, but these paths are much more difficult and are practically not in demand.

Every year, several people die while climbing the peak. By some estimates, more than 500 climbers have already died on the Matterhorn since 1865, making this mountain one of the deadliest in the world.