Climbing the Matterhorn is no easy feat. Especially if you do it without a guide like I did. However, that’s not what this post is about. In this post, I will look at ways to prepare for the Matterhorn. From routes to do during your acclimatization (assuming you aren’t on a course), to things you may need to consider/ work on for a smoother climb.
If you would also like to read about my unguided climb of the Matterhorn, you can read that too. I talk about the good and the bad of it so you can see a real account of the climb.
What I will cover (table of contents)
- Fitness
- Climbing ability
- Route finding
- Technical knowledge, along with how the day may unfold
- Kit list
- Facts about the mountain
How to prepare for the Matterhorn
Let’s take a deep dive into those mentioned above, and get you ready for the climb. Let’s take a look at how to better prepare you for climbing the Matterhorn
Fitness
First and foremost fitness… You will hear many people talking about fitness for climbing the Matterhorn. It is the number 1 most important thing. You don’t get a lot of rest during this climb. This means being able to perform for an average of 8-12 hours (For a lot of people the descent takes longer than the ascent.
Before heading out to the Alps for the first time, I was physically and mentally the fittest I have ever been, and stronger than ever.
Here is a rough schedule of my training block leading up to my trip to the Alps.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardio | Climbing | S&C | Climbing | S&C | Mountain Day | Mountain Day |
| Cardio | Cardio |
Living where I do, my Saturdays and Sundays changed a lot. From a long day in the mountains hiking, scrambling, or multi-pitch climbing, to smaller single-pitch stuff and trail running in the Peak District. If I wasn’t able to get to the mountains, I ensured to get at least one good 15km (ish) trail run on one weekend day or a long.
My climbing days were interchangeable from hard climbing to ensure I was physically strong, to volume, where I would aim to lead at least 6-8 pitches.
I feel what I did worked for me, and every few weeks, on a Monday or Friday I would take a well-needed rest day. However, as a whole, I am pleased with the plan, along with my level of fitness before heading out.
If you have read my other post about my climb you’ll know I did struggle a bit towards the summit. I don’t believe that was due to my fitness, but having already done 7 good days in Chamonix along with only getting 2 hours of sleep.
Based on my experience, whether have more rest before your attempt or not leave it for your final goal of the trip. Also, take earplugs and an eye mask. Do your best to get a decent amount of sleep. you’ll be up around 3 am on summit day. It’s hard, due to nerves and excitement, but this is so important and may be the difference between success and failure.
Climbing ability
I briefly mention how much I climbed above. The Matterhorn isn’t technically difficult, but you want to have the climbing endurance for 1200m of climbing and down climbing.
Additionally, if you are a strong climber already, it will make the day easier as you won’t be overly worried if you are strong enough. You will also place less gear making your ascent even quicker, the Matterhorn feels like a race, so speed is key. You may also want to be back in time for the last gondola at 5.
I placed no gear on the ascent and 3 pieces on the descent, which means we saved a lot of time and faff on placing and retrieving gear. It took us long enough due to everything else and I didn’t want to be worrying about the climbing itself. I’m not saying don’t place gear, place as much or as little to feel safe. However, messing with lots of gear does take time and energy.
For the climbing itself, the majority of it is similar to a grade 3 scramble with parts being easier and some parts such as the Mosley slabs being close to mod or even Diff (based on a UK grading system).
Make sure you are comfortable with these grades.
Route finding
While on the mountain itself, route reading is by far one of the biggest challenges you’ll face (besides fitness and other people). If with a guide this doesn’t matter as much.
My best suggestion is to study the route as best you can beforehand. This includes arriving early to the hut to ensure you can see the mountain and work the route, going on the climb itself, and doing a bit of reccy. The onsite doesn’t matter in the mountains.
Additionally, Follow guides. There will be a lot of guided parties on the climb, almost everyone to be honest. A lot of these guides will know the route well. However, if they are faster let them go, and don’t try to push too hard to keep up. It may be wise to slow down and follow a slower party. We did this towards the end, if this is your first time on the mountain safety is more important than time.
You want to make it back for the next time. You also need to know when to call it. If it takes too long on the ascent, you should turn around. At least you’ll still be alive for another attempt, no summit is worth dying for.
Technical knowledge, along with how the day may unfold
You may know some of these and you may not. However, being all about speed, the way you do things may be different to other mountains you have climbed.
I had my belay device, but never used it for a belay. I wouldn’t use this on a normal climb, but if you probably won’t fall, or at least not a big one, you are best using an Italian (munter) hitch for belaying, it’s a lot quicker and does the job well enough for the terrain that you’ll be on. Additionally, you won’t see a guide using a belay device. It takes too long to set it up at every spike you come across.
You’ll also want to have some sort of PAS (Personal Anchor System) ready to clip. When you arrive somewhere like a spike or a peg, You don’t want to be messing around with a sling. You need to clip, pull your partner up and go.
You and your climbing partner also need to be proficient in moving together whether that be protected or not. Where you can move together to save time you will. Pitching the whole mountain, or untie whenever not need the rope. You also need to be confident in this skill along with the best knowing when to pitch, take more coils and more. I will be writing a post about moving together at some point.
Along with moving together, you need to know how to understand short roping and what needs to be done on an unprotected ridge. On the ridge, we had no more than 1m of rope between us and it was kept tight to help prevent a fall. Along with this, if a fall were to happen, there is only one thing to do…
Jump off the other side of the ridge. This may be hard to think about, but it may be the only option for survival at that point. You don’t have time to think about it. Make sure you have a system in place for this. For, if the person in the back falls they shout something that tells you what way to jump.
The start of the climb from the Hörnli Hut is often staged, especially during the peak season to help reduce the congestion. It goes local guides, other guides and the unguided.
Kit list
I didn’t take much kit on the Matterhorn. here is what I took, along with what I would add or remove if I were to climb the Matterhorn again. I probably will do it again one day, I’ve already had a few friends ask me to do it with them. Additionally, I want to complete the Trilogy of North Faces, of which the Matterhorn is one.
Clothing, Bags and food:
Bag (Blue Ice Firecrest 38l)
An insulating layer (ME Shelterstone)
Waterproof (ME Makalu)
Gloves (ME Guide)
Long sleeve top (doesn’t have to be long sleeve, I just like them)
Fleece
Hat
Mountaineering trousers
Crampon compatible Mountaineering Boots (La Sportiva G-Tech)
Good Socks (Not too thick, but comfortable and sweat-wicking), Same with underwear, you may sweat a lot.
Sun Glasses
4 Bars (2 Belvita soft bake and 2 Nature Valley protein)
1l of water
Gear:
Helmet
Head Toarch (charged with spare batteries)
Harness
0,1 and 2 size DMM Dragon Cam
DMM Offsets 7-11 and a size 11 nut
6 Locking carabiners (2 of which were used with slings, and one for my coils)
Guide mode belay device (guide mode not essential, any tube style belay device will do)
2 120 slings
4 Extendable quickdraws
50-meter rope
Prusik
Ice Axe
Crampons (I used the Petzl Lynx as my friend borrowed the ones I wanted to use.)
Climbing Knife
A few meters of tatt
What I’d change
The above lists are every piece of gear I took up. For the most part, I think it’s decent. However, If I were to do it again one day, there are a few things I would change (and if you are looking to copy my kit, maybe you should too.
The main one is water. More water would have been ideal, 1l was okay, but maybe 1.2-1.5 would be perfect, but no more than 2l. With that water you may still be a bit dehydrated, but a lot less than I was. Anything more than 2l is just too much weight to carry, and won’t make a huge difference (for most) take what’s right for you.
A smaller bag would be good too. You leave the hut with everything on apart from extra layers. Unless you have the coils in a rope bag instead, a 38l (what I usually use), is a bit much. A 28l bag would have been perfect.
As for gear, I’d get rid of the offsets and nuts, and replace them with a number 3 cam. I didn’t place a lot, and cams 0-3 would have been enough. With that being said, I’d also reduce to 3 maybe even 2 quickdraws, as cams have the carabiners on them. So no need for quickdraws for protection.
Finally, I’d take a shorter rope. We wanted to do this, but neither of us wanted to cut our ropes. The 50m came in handy for one abseil. It wasn’t an essential abseil. I know we’d have been fine with a 30-40m rope.
I believe this kit list is a great one for climbing the Matterhorn.
Facts about the mountain
The Matterhorn stands at 4478 MASL above the town of Zermatt in Switzerland!
Commonly associated with Switzerland, most notably it was used as the logo for the Toblerone until recently. Toblerone had to remove the mountain due to Swiss law as the chocolate wasn’t “Swiss” enough since moving part of its production to Slovakia.
Roughly 3000 people summit the Matterhorn every year, and many more attempt it. Mainly via the Hornli Ridge. In peak season up to 150 people can be on the iconic mountain every day.
The first ascent of the Matterhorn via the Hörnli Ridge was on the 14th of July 1868, by Edward Whymper and his team ending the “golden age of Alpanism”. They used the best gear at the time including hemp rope. Not something I’d ever want to use for climbing. 4 out of the 7 climbers died during this climb due to a fall in the descent.
It’s estimated over 500 people (closing in on 600) have died while attempting the Matterhorn making it one of the most deadly mountains in the world. Nowadays about 9 people die on the Matterhorn every year. However, not all of them are climbers, some of the deaths are skiers.
The Matterhorn is probably one of the most famous and iconic mountains in the world due to its prominence and shape. It’s the mountain we all draw as children.
There aren’t many routes up the Matterhorn, only 6. Two are on its north face, making the Matterhorn part of the North Face trilogy in the Alps. The other two are the Eiger and Gran Jorasses. This is one of the hardest Alpine challenges to complete.
Doing something like this can be extremely dangerous and result in death ensure you are ready and confident. This post is for advice, and I strongly recommend you use a guide. All information is given in good faith and any injury caused during an attempt is on the individual. Outdoor Ascent and its writers can’t be held responsible for anything that happens while on a mountain. Be safe and happy climbing
