The First Ascent of the Matterhorn Ends in Tragedy

In July 1865, Edward Whymper arrived in the Swiss village of Zermatt determined to climb the Matterhorn, one of the last great unclimbed summits of the Alps. An illustrator from Britain, Whymper had spent several seasons attempting the peak alongside the Italian mountain guide Jean-Antoine Carrel. Their earlier cooperation dissolved when Carrel committed himself to an Italian expedition organized by Felice Giordano to attempt the summit from the southern side. Learning of Carrel's departure, Whymper assembled a separate team in Zermatt that included Lord Francis Douglas, the Reverend Charles Hudson, Douglas Hadow, the renowned French guide Michel Croz, and local guide Peter Taugwalder with his two sons.

The expedition departed Zermatt early on 13 July and made rapid progress along the east face, establishing a high camp above three thousand metres before noon. Croz and the younger Peter Taugwalder scouted ahead, returning with positive reports about the route. At dawn on 14 July, Taugwalder's other son, Joseph, returned to Zermatt and the remaining seven men set out, climbing unroped over substantial sections of the slope. As they neared the upper precipice, the less experienced Hadow required repeated help over steep ground, but the party pushed through to reach the crest.