The Matterhorn 2024-07-27 | Hörni Ridge
Blackbird teams led by IFMGA Mountain Guide Zeb Blais reached the summit of the Matterhorn via the Hörnli Ridge this week. Conditions were near perfect given the stormy start to the season and the snow remaining on the route.
In a testament to commitment to a rigorous training, we made the summit in 4:20 from the hut. Brittany, our tenacious client for the Matterhorn this week, pushed hard and moved well for the duration of the climb. Her commitment to the climb was apparent as she moved well throughout the summit push and descent.
The Matterhorn is a difficult climb, despite requiring only relatively low levels of technical climbing on rock, snow and occasionally ice. The biggest challenge is the unrelenting exposure and attention needed on moderate 3rd, 4th and low 5th class rock while moving at a rapid rate. Covering 4,000' of elevation gain at an altitude reaching 14,692' is in 4:20, with few maintenance breaks, is a major cardiovascular effort and involves solid training.
The summit was the culmination of days of climbing and acclimatation in preparation. Brittany spent 3 days of private climbing in the French Alps to acclimatize and prepare for the type of rock climbing that we encountered on the Hörnli Ridge of the Matterhorn.
It's difficult to get a real feel for the exposure on the route from a blog post. Photos don't capture the full scene and while there are a few that show the extent of the exposure, it's much easier to feel it on route.
Climb the Matterhorn with Blackbird Mountain Guides!
If you're interested in climbing the Matterhorn, please reach out! We highly recommend a 3-day training program before the climb begins, but if you have climbing experience with us and are acclimatized, this is not a requirement. Make sure that you are fit and
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About the Author
Zeb Blais is an IFMGA Mountain Guide based in Truckee California. He loves all the disciplines of mountain guiding - ski, rock and alpine climbing - and tries to spend as much time as he can in the French, Swiss and Italian Alps. He has summitted and skied Mont Blanc 8 times via 3 routes and loves showing his clients the splendor of Europe's highest peak.