It stands out among its peers as the most recognizable peak in the Alps. For decades mountaineers have gazed up in awe at it's steep pyramid shape. Many have climbed it, many have also died. While it's not necessarily a 'high-altitude' mountain, its exposure to weather and general steepness can make it both difficult and dangerous if conditions are not perfect. Mark and Rob have been throwing around the idea of climbing the Matterhorn for a few years now. When Rob left Europe, he and Mark attempted to climb the Matterhorn in the middle of December '06, but a massive and unexpected winter storm prevented them from even reaching the base of the mountain. As Mark prepared to move from the UK back to America, he asked Rob to come out for another attempt. This time there would be no massive winter storm, though a fresh storm did deposit a significant amount of snow and ice. What was to be a summer ascent resulted in winter conditions, but the two were prepared for it. One detail to point out is the short time-span available for this trip. It was done over Labor Day weekend, with Rob arriving from America on a Thursday, arriving at the base on Friday, the ascent starting early on Saturday, and Rob back at home in America on Monday afternoon in order to start training on Tuesday morning. Heather Healy flew in from E. Europe and Mark had just returned from a trip in the Netherlands. But it all worked out!

It was a fantastic climb!! The weather cooperated greatly with us, even though there was far more snow and ice than usual for a summer ascent. Only two other teams of two were on the mountain that day, so there was no line of people to worry about. The decision was made to climb without a guide in order to get the most experience from the climb and to truly do it 'on the fly'. The pace was steady but cautious, with both Mark and Rob roped up the entire climb. Heather smartly opted to stay at the base in the Hornli Hut due to the difficult conditions. As the day pressed on, all went according to plan except for a slower pace once into the fresh snow/ice. The exposure on the mountain is intense, with a fall most likely resulting in death if not roped in for nearly the entire climb. In the early afternoon Mark and Rob reached the top, which requires crossing a knife-edge ridge between the Swiss/Italian summits. It was an amazing feeling to be atop the Matterhorn, but they knew the way down was more dangerous than the climb up! Once again it was a methodical and cautious pace on the way down, using fixed anchors to ensure safety. It took much longer to descend in the wintry conditions than expected, partially due to the difficulty of finding the correct route, so Mark and Rob eventually made the decision to spend the night on the mountain. The risk of falling in the dark was not worth the rewards! It was a memorable night, but luckily the weather held. After dozing off a few times and sharing body heat, the sun rose and the climb was finished two hours later. Heather was excited to see the two return and greeted them with hugs, high-fives, and lots of warm soup and food.

We highly recommend the climb to anyone that has dreamed of standing atop the Matterhorn. While we didn't use a guide and were glad we didn't, the service of one would be beneficial due in the aspect of finding the correct route and the speed that brings. So go out there and give it a try! It's an awesome life experience!!