Andy Nelson, leader of Glen Coe Mountain Rescue, said over a
glass of wine in the shadow of The Matterhorn, “There are three aims in
mountaineering. First: get back safely. Second: make friends. Third: summit if
you are lucky.”
Whilst at the point of turning round at a height of around
4,100metres, roughly 400 from the summit, I was extremely disappointed; those
words provided huge comfort, coming from someone who knows after all!
So it was that Guy and I failed to reach the summit of The Matterhorn, which was, after all, our ultimate aim.
Preparation days
We had a great week building
up to our attempt.
Arriving in Chamonix in the rain and dark did not bode well and gave
no indication of what was to follow. What we awoke to frankly took our breath
away. Steepling snow-capped mountains surrounded us on every side and with one cable car station which looked as though it had come straight
from a James Bond film with Jaws expected to jump at any moment.
James Thacker, our primary guide for the week arrived and
informed us that the forecast was not great so we would be heading to Italy to
begin our acclimatisation. The first remarkable experience was actually going
through the Mont Blanc tunnel, what an amazing feat of engineering 11 and a
half kilometers of tunnel driving through the heart of the mountain connecting
France and Italy. From there it was a cable car to the top and our first
experience of glaciers, followed by a climb to the top of Punta Helbronner.
That certainly gave me a lot of confidence as it was probably the spikiest
piece of rock I had ever seen far less experienced climbing. Having summited that at
around 3,500mt it was time for some r&r in the fantastically situated café at
the cable car station to get used to the altitude.
Friday saw us begin what felt like proper adventure. James had researched the weather and it didn’t
look good for Saturday afternoon, so we had to be a little less ambitious and
headed for Cabane des Vignettes with the idea being to summiting Pigne d'Arolla before
the weather set in, rather than a more challenging ridge route. In addition we
would be sleeping at altitude for the first time.
The walk to the glacier was superb, leaving the
stereotypical Swiss valley village up through Alpine forests to the snout when
it was suddenly crampons on and high alert for crevasses!
It was a testing slog
up to the hut, but largely uneventful. However, arriving at the hut it was like
something out of “Where Eagles Dare”, perched on the side of a very precipitous
drop. For those who haven’t been to The Alps, huts are quite a thing. Used to
provide shelter and accommodation, run by Alpine Climbing clubs in the main, they
provide access to the highest routes and passes and essentially “open up” The
Alps. It wasn’t long before dinner was served, and hat’s off to the chef for
his remarkable vegetable soup in particular. Then bed by 9 as breakfast was
served between 5 and 5:30!
I had a reasonable night’s sleep but hardly undisturbed and
as a man of a certain age, the mid sleep visits took on a whole new twist as
Alpine winds swept into different crevices!!!!
So an early start saw us head out on to the glacier adorned
with head torches, crampons and ice-axes heading for the summit. Having
negotiated a couple of interesting crevices we were rewarded on the summit with
some stunning views including across to our ultimate objective, The Matterhorn.
We also saw quite clearly the looming weather front that was predicted and so
we didn’t hang around and found ourselves back at the hut before 10am. What
followed could only be described as tedium. I was grateful that I had packed a
luxury item in the shape of a book, but once finished I sought solace in the
pictures of French and German books on site, a quest (unsuccessful) for a
complete set of cards or dominos, an impossible cryptic crossword in a week old
Guardian and for the first time in my life completed said paper’s Sudoku – it was
a VERY long day with only us and the staff for company. I have NEVER drunk so
much tea in my life!!!
Just before dinner a father and daughter arrived to rattle
around in the hut with us (it can hold around 80 guests), the surprise, for me
at least, was all of us in the same dorm – sad for her as by this time Guy and
I were a bit ripe, neither of the showers working and packing minimally!
Next morning saw another early start as we headed into the
valley to pick up the car and head to Zermatt to get ready for the big one.
Summit attempt
A two hour drive saw us arrive in Tasch to meet Andy and take
the short train ride to Zermatt (no cars allowed there!) where The Matterhorn
was superbly revealed. After a bit of refuelling it was time to take the lift
up to Schwarse and a walk into our base, The Hornli Hut. The approach was
stunning, but incredibly hot, so we were grateful to arrive and get some extra
water.
A 4am rise in prospect for the next day drove us to our room
to grab some rest (I was going to write nap, but no one was sleeping) then a
bit of reconnaissance mission at the start of the climb to experience the early
stages of the climb in daylight – the climb itself starts in pitch black! It
soon became clear why the practice was important as the start is a bottle-neck
and any marginal gain on the day would be repaid.
The atmosphere around the hut as we waited for dinner was a
strange mix of excitement and apprehension as everyone apart from staff had the
same objective. Bedtime again was early and it was not the best time for me to
have my worst night of sleep since arriving – I was lucky if I got an hour!
None of my usual breathing techniques worked, I was either too hot or too cold
and add the adrenaline …..
Boom! 4am arrived and suddenly the head torches were on (no
lights before 4:30) climbing gear was adorned and a big queue for ablutions. A
meager breakfast was served and consumed before doors were opened and the rush
began at 4:50.
We were towards the back of the queue which didn’t cause me
a particular problem, but people were soon trying to barge past as a line of
lights headed up the mountainside. After two hours the aim is to be at the
Solway Hut at 4,003Mts and after that length of time I was still appreciably
short of that.
Once at that hut it was clear, 3 hours after starting, we were behind
schedule and probably fatally so. The wind was very strong and felt, if
anything, getting stronger as we began to move out onto even more exposed
ground. It was at this point that safety took precedence and the decision was
made to turn back.
Morning after the night before (well almost)
I can’t lie, I was bitterly disappointed to turn round (Guy
followed soon afterwards). Even now, back in the UK after a night in the Schwarse
hotel with the guides and some R&R in Zermatt and Geneva, I feel a bit down
about it, despite some truly overwhelming support from people on Twitter, some
of whom I know and some I don’t (that aspect has been truly humbling).
Consolation is definitely found in the fact that I have raised sufficient funds
to get a defibrillator for the club in memory of Harry Faulkner (please don't donate to that element now) and as I type
raised a few quid towards C-R-Y too - feel free to donate there!
Guy and I agreed not to discuss a return attempt until we
have both got over the emotions of the trip, and at the very earliest after I
return from a week in Scotland with my family. Clearly my incredibly supportive
wife knows me best and one of the first questions she asked was, “When are you
going back to try again?” I genuinely
don’t know the answer to that, or if I will, what I do know is that I am
absolutely clear on what I need to do to increase the chances of a successful
summit, from lighter boots and other gear (“Every Ounce Counts”) to brighter
clothing which keeps you cooler amongst other things.
The guides James and Andy were superb, I truly cannot
commend them highly enough and a little doff of the cap to Max Hunter for
recommending them.
I will sign off my final piece on this adventure (I am
expecting to post Guy’s reflections at some point and maybe James’s too) by
saying thanks to all my supporters, too many to mention, but some I really
ought to:
Gary Nisbet for making me the strongest I have ever been.
Nick Matthew and Mark Campbell for sharing the bike routines
and some fabulous publicity.
England Squash and Active Luton for their publicity efforts
too.
And finally my family. Debs, Eilish, Lily and Natalie for
being so supportive of my efforts, on the Sunday I am not ashamed to say I got
a little emotional knowing the risks of what I was about to take on.
My final comment is a reminder that the fundraising effort
was all to raise sufficient money to buy a defibrillator as a practical legacy
in memory of my late club mate, Harry Faulkner, taken from us at only 18, still
sadly missed – may he Rest In Peace!