First estimate of Matterhorn's altitude
Horace Benedict de Saussure. A scientist and explorer estimated the Matterhorn height at 14769 ft (4501 metres).
Formation of the Alpine Club in London.
First attempts
First attempts to summit the Matterhorn were made by Cervinia mountain guides Jean-Antoine and Jean-Jacques Carrel via the Lion ridge on the Italian side of the mountain.
Whymper's First Attempts
Edward Whymper, a young British artist made his first attempt at the summit, also from the Italian side. Photograph © Zermatt Tourismus
Whymper tries again
Whymper joins forces with Jean-Antoine Carrel to make another, unsuccessful, ascent of the Lion ridge.
Whymper arrives back in Cervinia and tries to hire Carrel as a guide once more. Realising Carrel has ambitions to make an entirely Italian summit bid to promote the newly formed Italian Alpine Club, Whymper travels to Zermatt to try the daunting Swiss side of the mountain.
Whymper joins forces with Lord Francis Douglas, Rev Charles Hudson and Douglas Hadow and their French guide Michel Croz. They employ Swiss guides Peter Taugwalder Snr and Jnr.
The team set out from Zermatt up the Hörnli ridge, finding it easier than they had expected, and camp on the ridge at 3380m. A little higher than the location of the Hornli Hut where most climbers stay the night before an ascent today.
The team set out at dawn and reach the Summit of the Matterhorn at 1:40pm. They see Carrel and the Italian team 400m below them on the Italian side.
After spending an hour on the Summit, the climbers started their descent. Hadow was soon struggling and Croz was literally placing his feet into the holds to help him with each step. As Croz moved forwards, Hadow slipped and sent them both tumbling over the rocks. The rope pulled Douglas and Hudson with them and, as it came tight with a jolt to the Taugwalder guides and Whymper, snapped. The four falling climbers fell 1200m down the north face of the mountain. Photograph © Zermatt Tourismus
The three remaining climbers arrive back in Zermatt.
The first ascent from Italy
The team set out at dawn and reach the Summit of the Matterhorn at 1:40pm. They see Carrel and the Italian team 400m below them on the Italian side.
Jean-Antoine Carrel makes the first ascent from the Italian side of the mountain.
First female ascent
Lucy Walker makes the first female ascent, via the Hörnli ridge. Photograph © Zermatt Tourismus
The first ascent of the Zmutt ridge
The Zmutt (north-west) ridge is climbed.
Hörnli Hut built
The Hornli Hut is built to house climbers before their ascents. Photograph © Zermatt Tourismus
The first ascent of the Furggen Ridge
The final ridge, the Furggen (south-east) ridge, is climbed.
Solvay Hut built
The Solvay hut is built. It’s an emergency bivouac hut at 4003m.
The first ascent of the North Face
The north face of the Matterhorn is first climbed by brothers Franz and Toni Schmid.
North face soloed in 1hr 54mins
The ‘Swiss Machine’ Ueli Steck climbs the north face in just 1hr 54mins.
Spanish mountain runner, Killian Jornet set the record climbing from Cervinia to the summit and back in just 2hrs 52mins.
North face soloed in 1hr 46mins
Dani Arnold solos the North Face in 1hr 46 mins
150th Anniversary of first ascent
The 150th anniversary of the first ascent is celebrated by lighting the Hornli ridge route and a complete renovation of the Hörnli Hut.
Andy Steindl climbs from the church square to the summit and back in 3hrs 59min
Zermatt guide and mountain runner, Andy Steindl makes an ascent from Zermatt church to the summit and back in 3hrs 59mins.
All four ridges climbed in 16hrs
Andy Steindl teams up with Francois Cazzanelli to climb all four ridges of the Matterhorn in just 16hrs 4mins.
