Golden age of alpinism
Encyclopedia
The golden age of alpinism was the period between Alfred Wills
's ascent of the Wetterhorn
in 1854 and Edward Whymper
's ascent
of the Matterhorn
in 1865, during which many major peaks in the Alps
saw their first ascents.
Its start slightly predating the formation of the Alpine Club
in London in 1857, the golden age was dominated by British alpinists accompanied by their Swiss and French guides. Prominent figures of the period include Lord Francis Douglas
, Florence Crauford Grove
, Charles Hudson, E. S. Kennedy
, William Mathews
, A. W. Moore
, Leslie Stephen
, Francis Fox Tuckett
, John Tyndall
, Horace Walker
and Edward Whymper
. Well-known guides of the era include Christian Almer
, Jakob Anderegg, Melchior Anderegg
, J. J. Bennen, Michel Croz
, Johannes Zumtaugwald
Walker's sister Lucy
also attained some notable firsts during the period, including the first ascent of the Balmhorn
(1864), and later several first female ascents.
In the early years of the "golden age
", scientific pursuits were intermixed with the sport. More often than not, the mountaineers carried a variety of instruments up the mountain with them to be used for scientific observations. The physicist John Tyndall
was the most prominent of the scientists. Among the non-scientist mountaineers, the literary critic Leslie Stephen
was the most prominent. In the later years of the "golden age", the non-scientist pure sportsmen came to dominate the London-based Alpine Club and alpine mountaineering overall.
Alfred Wills
Sir Alfred Wills PC was a British High Court judge and a well-known mountaineer. He was the third President of the Alpine Club from 1863 to 1865.-Early life:...
's ascent of the Wetterhorn
Wetterhorn
The Wetterhorn is a mountain in the Swiss Alps close to the village of Grindelwald. First climbed in 1844, the 1854 ascent by Alfred Wills and party is more celebrated and is generally regarded to have marked the beginning of the golden age of alpinism.The mountain is composed of three distinct...
in 1854 and Edward Whymper
Edward Whymper
Edward Whymper , was an English illustrator, climber and explorer best known for the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. On the descent four members of the party were killed.-Early life:...
's ascent
First ascent of the Matterhorn
The first ascent of the Matterhorn was made by Edward Whymper, Lord Francis Douglas, Charles Hudson, Douglas Hadow, Michel Croz, and the two Zermatt guides, Peter Taugwalder father and son on 14 July 1865. Douglas, Hudson, Hadow and Croz were killed on the descent when Hadow slipped and pulled the...
of the Matterhorn
Matterhorn
The Matterhorn , Monte Cervino or Mont Cervin , is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Its summit is 4,478 metres high, making it one of the highest peaks in the Alps. The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points...
in 1865, during which many major peaks in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
saw their first ascents.
Its start slightly predating the formation of the Alpine Club
Alpine Club (UK)
The Alpine Club was founded in London in 1857 and was probably the world's first mountaineering club. It is UK mountaineering's acknowledged 'senior club'.-History:...
in London in 1857, the golden age was dominated by British alpinists accompanied by their Swiss and French guides. Prominent figures of the period include Lord Francis Douglas
Lord Francis Douglas
Lord Francis William Bouverie Douglas was a novice, British mountaineer. After sharing in the first ascent of the Matterhorn, he died in a fall on the way down from the summit.-Early life:...
, Florence Crauford Grove
Florence Crauford Grove
Florence Crauford Grove was an English mountaineer and author, sometimes known as F. Crauford Grove.-Mountaineer:Grove became an experienced alpinist in the late 1850s and joined the Alpine Club of London soon after it was formed in 1857, later serving as its President from 1884 to 1886...
, Charles Hudson, E. S. Kennedy
E. S. Kennedy
E. S. Kennedy can refer to :* Edward Shirley Kennedy, alpinist and writer* Edward Stewart Kennedy, historian of science...
, William Mathews
William Mathews
William Mathews was an English mountaineer, land agent and surveyor, who first proposed the formation of the Alpine Club of London in 1857.-Founding of the Alpine Club:...
, A. W. Moore
Adolphus Warburton Moore
Adolphus Warburton Moore was a British civil servant and mountaineer.-Life:The son of Major John Arthur Moore and Sophia Stewart Yates,, Moore was an India Office official from 1858–1887, holding the role of Assistant Secretary, Political Department from 1875–1885...
, Leslie Stephen
Leslie Stephen
Sir Leslie Stephen, KCB was an English author, critic and mountaineer, and the father of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell.-Life:...
, Francis Fox Tuckett
Francis Fox Tuckett
Francis Fox Tuckett FRGS was an English mountaineer. He was vice-president of the Alpine Club from 1866 to 1868, and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.-Life and family:...
, John Tyndall
John Tyndall
John Tyndall FRS was a prominent Irish 19th century physicist. His initial scientific fame arose in the 1850s from his study of diamagnetism. Later he studied thermal radiation, and produced a number of discoveries about processes in the atmosphere...
, Horace Walker
Horace Walker
Horace Walker was an English mountaineer who made many notable first ascents, including Mount Elbrus and the Grandes Jorasses.-Alpinism:...
and Edward Whymper
Edward Whymper
Edward Whymper , was an English illustrator, climber and explorer best known for the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. On the descent four members of the party were killed.-Early life:...
. Well-known guides of the era include Christian Almer
Christian Almer
thumb|220px|Christian AlmerChristian Almer was a Swiss mountain guide and the first ascentionist of many prominent mountains in the western Alps during the golden and silver ages of alpinism....
, Jakob Anderegg, Melchior Anderegg
Melchior Anderegg
Melchior Anderegg , from Zaun, Meiringen, was a Swiss mountain guide and the first ascensionist of many prominent mountains in the western Alps during the golden and silver ages of alpinism...
, J. J. Bennen, Michel Croz
Michel Croz
Michel Auguste Croz was a French mountain guide and the first ascentionist of many mountains in the western Alps during the golden age of alpinism...
, Johannes Zumtaugwald
Walker's sister Lucy
Lucy Walker (climber)
Lucy Walker was a British mountaineer and the first woman to climb the Matterhorn.Miss Walker began her climbing rather modestly in 1858 when she was advised by her doctor to take up walking as a cure for rheumatism...
also attained some notable firsts during the period, including the first ascent of the Balmhorn
Balmhorn
The Balmhorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. Its summit ridge lies on the border between the cantons of Berne and the Valais....
(1864), and later several first female ascents.
In the early years of the "golden age
Golden Age
The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology and legend and refers to the first in a sequence of four or five Ages of Man, in which the Golden Age is first, followed in sequence, by the Silver, Bronze, and Iron Ages, and then the present, a period of decline...
", scientific pursuits were intermixed with the sport. More often than not, the mountaineers carried a variety of instruments up the mountain with them to be used for scientific observations. The physicist John Tyndall
John Tyndall
John Tyndall FRS was a prominent Irish 19th century physicist. His initial scientific fame arose in the 1850s from his study of diamagnetism. Later he studied thermal radiation, and produced a number of discoveries about processes in the atmosphere...
was the most prominent of the scientists. Among the non-scientist mountaineers, the literary critic Leslie Stephen
Leslie Stephen
Sir Leslie Stephen, KCB was an English author, critic and mountaineer, and the father of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell.-Life:...
was the most prominent. In the later years of the "golden age", the non-scientist pure sportsmen came to dominate the London-based Alpine Club and alpine mountaineering overall.
First ascents in the golden age
- 1854 KönigspitzeKönigspitzeThe Königspitze is a mountain in the Ortler Alps on the border between South Tyrol and the Province of Sondrio, Italy....
, Monte Rosa (Ostspitze)OstspitzeThe Ostspitze is a peak of the Monte Rosa Massif in the Pennine Alps in Switzerland. It is the second highest peak of the massif, after the Dufourspitze , and the second highest summit in Switzerland....
, StrahlhornStrahlhornThe Strahlhorn is a mountain in the Pennine Alps in Switzerland.-Reference:* Dumler, Helmut and Willi P. Burkhardt, The High Mountains of the Alps, London: Diadem, 1994... - 1855 Mont Blanc du TaculMont Blanc du TaculMont Blanc du Tacul is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif of the French Alps situated midway between the Aiguille du Midi and Mont Blanc....
, Monte Rosa (Westspitze)DufourspitzeMonte Rosa is the highest mountain of Switzerland, the second highest both of the Alps and western Europe. Distinguished by the name Dufourspitze, its summit is the culminating point of the Pennine Alps...
, WeissmiesWeissmiesThe Weissmies is a mountain in the Pennine Alps in the canton of Valais in Switzerland near the village of Saas-Fee. It is the easternmost four-thousander of its range.- Geography :... - 1856 Aiguille du MidiAiguille du MidiThe Aiguille du Midi is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps.The cable car to the summit, the Téléphérique de l'Aiguille du Midi, was built in 1955 and held the title of the world's highest cable car for about two decades. It still holds the record as the highest vertical ascent...
, AllalinhornAllalinhornThe Allalinhorn is a mountain in the Mischabelhörner group of the Pennine Alps in Switzerland. It lies west of Saas-Fee in the canton of Valais....
, LagginhornLagginhornThe Lagginhorn is a mountain in the Pennine Alps in Switzerland. It lies a few kilometres north of the slightly higher Weissmies and also close to the slightly lower Fletschhorn on the north.... - 1857 MönchMönchThe Mönch is a mountain in the Bernese Alps, in Switzerland. Together with the Eiger and the Jungfrau it forms a highly recognisable group of mountains visible from far away....
, Monte Pelmo - 1858 DomDom (mountain)The Dom is a mountain in the Pennine Alps above Saas Fee in the canton of Valais. With its summit it is the third highest peak in the Alps and the second highest in Switzerland...
, EigerEigerThe Eiger is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. It is the easternmost peak of a ridge crest that extends across the Mönch to the Jungfrau at 4,158 m...
, NadelhornNadelhornThe Nadelhorn is a mountain in the Pennine Alps in Switzerland. It is the highest point on the Nadelgrat, a high-level ridge running roughly north–south above the resort of Saas-Fee to the east, and the Mattertal to the west. Its three ridges join to form a sharp-pointed summit, which looks like a...
, Piz MorteratschPiz MorteratschPiz Morteratsch is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland. It is bordered on the east by the Morteratsch Glacier and on the south-west by the Tschierva Glacier....
, WildstrubelWildstrubelThe Wildstrubel is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland on the border between the Canton of Berne and the Canton of Valais.The mountain has three summits, all of similar height:... - 1859 AletschhornAletschhornThe Aletschhorn is a mountain in the Alps in Switzerland, lying within the Jungfrau-Aletsch region, which has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO...
, BietschhornBietschhornThe Bietschhorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. The northeast and southern slopes of the mountain are part of the Jungfrau-Aletsch Protected Area listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site that also includes the Jungfrau and the Aletsch Glacier...
, Grand CombinGrand CombinThe Grand Combin is a mountain in the western Pennine Alps in Switzerland. With its high summit it is one of the highest peaks in the Alps and the second most prominent of its range...
, GrivolaGrivolaThe Grivola is a mountain in the Graian Alps in Italy. It lies between the Valsavarenche and the Vallon di Cogne. Grivola means young lady in the Occitan language.-Huts:* Rifugio Federico Chabod * Bivacco Luciano Gratton...
, RimpfischhornRimpfischhornThe Rimpfischhorn is a mountain in the Pennine Alps of Switzerland.The first ascent of the mountain was by Leslie Stephen and Robert Living with guides Melchior Anderegg and Johann Zumtaugwald on 9 September 1859. Their route of ascent was from Fluh Alp via the Rimpfischwänge.-External links:* *... - 1860 AlphubelAlphubelThe Alphubel is a mountain in the Pennine Alps in Switzerland. It is part of the Mischabel range, which culminates at the Dom ....
, BlüemlisalpBlüemlisalpThe Blüemlisalp is a massif of the Bernese Alps, in the territory of the municipalies of Kandersteg and Reichenbach im Kandertal.Its main peaks are:*Blüemlisalphorn *Wyssi Frau *Morgenhorn...
horn, Civetta, Gran ParadisoGran ParadisoThe Gran Paradiso is a mountain group between the Aosta Valley and Piedmont regions of north-west Italy. The peak, the 7th highest mountain in the Graian Alps with an elevation of 4,061 m, is close to Mont Blanc on the nearby border with France. On the French side of the border, the park is...
, Grande CasseGrande CasseThe Grande Casse is the highest mountain in the Vanoise Massif in the Graian Alps.The first ascent was by William Mathews with guides Michel Croz and E. Favre on 8 August 1860.-External links:*... - 1861 CastorCastor (mountain)Castor is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Valais, Switzerland and the Aosta Valley in Italy. It is the higher of a pair of twin peaks , the other being Pollux, named after the Gemini twins of Roman mythology. Castor's peak is at an elevation of , and it lies between Breithorn...
, FluchthornFluchthornThe Fluchthorn or Piz Fenga is the second highest mountain in the Silvretta range, on the border between Austria and Switzerland. It consists of three summits of which the southern summit is the highest....
, LyskammLyskammLyskamm is a mountain in the Pennine Alps lying on the border between Switzerland and Italy. It consists of a five-kilometre-long ridge with two distinct peaks...
, Monte VisoMonte VisoMonte Viso or Monviso , is a mountain in the Cottian Alps in Italy close to the French border. Monte Viso is well known for its pyramid-like shape, and because it is higher than all its neighbouring peaks by about 500 m it can be seen from some distance, from the Piedmontese plateau and the...
, SchreckhornSchreckhornThe Schreckhorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps. It is the highest peak located entirely in the canton of Berne. The Schreckhorn is the northernmost Alpine four-thousander and the northernmost summit rising above 4,000 metres in Europe....
, WeisshornWeisshornThe Weisshorn is a mountain in the Pennine Alps, in Switzerland. With its summit, it is one of the major peaks in the Alps and overtops the nearby Matterhorn by some 30 metres. It was first climbed in 1861 from Randa by John Tyndall, accompanied by the guides J.J...
, WeißkugelWeißkugelWeißkugel is the second highest mountain in the Ötztal Alps and the third highest mountain in Austria. Featuring many glaciers, it lies on the border between Austria and Italy. The easiest way to climb it is over its southern side. It was first climbed in 1850 by J.A... - 1862 Dent BlancheDent BlancheThe Dent Blanche is a mountain in the Pennine Alps, lying in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. With its high summit, it is one of the highest peaks in the Alps.-Naming:...
, DoldenhornDoldenhornThe Doldenhorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps. It is located above Lake Oeschinen near Kandersteg, Switzerland....
, Gross FiescherhornFiescherhornThe Gross Fiescherhorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps range of the Swiss Alps. At 4,049 metres above sea level, its summit culminates over the whole Fiescherhorn massif, which is also composed of the slightly lower Hinter Fiescherhorn and Klein Fiescherhorn...
, Monte DisgraziaMonte DisgraziaMonte Disgrazia is a mountain in the Bregaglia range in the Italian Alps. It is the highest peak in the Val Masino group, situated south of the Bernina Range.It has five glaciers and five wild ridges and is a demanding climb....
, TäschhornTäschhornThe Täschhorn is a mountain in the Mischabelhörner group of the Pennine Alps in Switzerland, lying south of Dom.The first ascent of the mountain was by the Rev. John Llewelyn-Davies and Rev. J. W. Hayward with guides Stefan and Johann Zumtaugwald and Peter-Josef Summermatter on 30 July...
, ZuckerhütlZuckerhütlThe Zuckerhütl is a mountain in Tyrol, Austria. At 3,505 metres , it is the highest peak of the Stubai Alps and at the southern end of the Stubaital.... - 1863 BifertenstockBifertenstockThe Bifertenstock is a mountain in the Glarus Alps, located between the cantons of Glarus and Graubünden . It overlooks four valleys: the Biferten Glacier valley on the north-west, the Limmern Glacier on the north-east, the Val Punteglias on the south-west and the Val Frisal on the south-east...
, Dent d'HérensDent d'HérensThe Dent d'Hérens is a mountain in the Pennine Alps, lying on the border between Italy and Switzerland. The mountain lies a few kilometres west of the Matterhorn.The Aosta hut is used for the normal route.-Naming:...
, ParrotspitzeParrotspitzeThe Parrotspitze is a peak in the Pennine Alps of Italy and Switzerland. It is located south of Dufourspitze in the Monte Rosa Massif. The mountain is named after Johann Jakob Friedrich Wilhelm Parrot, a German doctor, who made an attempt on the Piramide Vincent with Joseph Zumstein in 1816.The...
, Piz ZupòPiz ZupòPiz Zupò is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland and Italy, and is the second highest peak in the range after Piz Bernina.The first ascent of the mountain was made by L. Enderlin and Serardi, with Badrutt on 9 July 1863....
, TofaneTofaneTofane is a mountain group in the Italian Dolomites, west of Cortina d'Ampezzo, in the province of Belluno, Veneto, northern Italy. Most of the Tofane lies within Parco naturale delle Dolomiti d'Ampezzo, a nature park.-Peaks:... - 1864 AdamelloMount AdamelloAdamello is a mountain in Lombardy, Italy, It has an elevation of ....
, Aiguille d'ArgentièreAiguille d'ArgentièreThe Aiguille d'Argentière is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif on the border between France and Switzerland.The first ascent of the mountain was by a British party comprising Edward Whymper and A. Reilly with guides Michel Croz, M. Payot, H. Charlet on 15 July 1864...
, AntelaoAntelaoMonte Antelao is the highest mountain in the eastern Dolomites in northeastern Italy, southeast of the town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, in the region of Cadore. It is known as the "King of the Dolomites"...
, BalmhornBalmhornThe Balmhorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. Its summit ridge lies on the border between the cantons of Berne and the Valais....
, Barre des ÉcrinsBarre des ÉcrinsThe Barre des Écrins is a mountain in the French Alps, the highest point of the Massif des Écrins, and the most southerly alpine peak in Europe that is higher than 4,000 metres.- Geography :...
, Gross WannenhornGross WannenhornThe Gross Wannenhorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps. It is located in the canton of Valais near the village of Fiesch. The mountain separates the Aletsch Glacier from the Fiescher Glacier....
, Marmolata, Mont DolentMont DolentMont Dolent is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif that lies on the border of Italy and Switzerland.It is generally considered the tripoint between France, Italy and Switzerland, although the point itself lies at 3,749 metres, north-west of the summit of Mont Dolent.The first ascent of the...
, PolluxPollux (mountain)Pollux is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Valais, Switzerland and the Aosta Valley in Italy. It is the lower of a pair of twin peaks , the other being Castor, named after the Gemini twins of Roman mythology...
, PresanellaPresanellaPresanella is a mountain in the Adamello-Presanella range of the Italian Alps of northern Italy....
, ZinalrothornZinalrothornThe Zinalrothorn is a mountain in the Pennine Alps in Switzerland. Its name comes from the village of Zinal lying on the north side and from the German word Rothorn which means Red Peak... - 1865 Aiguille VerteAiguille VerteThe Aiguille Verte is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps.It was first climbed on 29 June 1865 by Edward Whymper, Christian Almer and Franz Biner, a fortnight before the fateful first ascent of the Matterhorn. Whymper was unable to climb with his usual guide, Michel Croz, who...
, Grand CornierGrand CornierThe Grand Cornier is a mountain in the Pennine Alps in Switzerland. It lies 2 km north from the Dent BlancheThe first ascent of the mountain was made via the east ridge by Edward Whymper, Christian Almer, Michel Croz and F. Biner on 16 June 1865.The Mountet hut and Moiry hut are used for...
, MatterhornMatterhornThe Matterhorn , Monte Cervino or Mont Cervin , is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Its summit is 4,478 metres high, making it one of the highest peaks in the Alps. The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points...
, Ober GabelhornOber GabelhornThe Ober Gabelhorn is a mountain in the Pennine Alps in Switzerland, located between Zermatt and Zinal.-Geography:The Ober Gabelhorn lies in the Swiss canton of Valais at the southern end of the Zinal valley . It rises, together with the Dent Blanche and the Zinalrothorn , above the Zinal Glacier...
, Piz BuinPiz BuinPiz Buin is a mountain in the Silvretta range of the Alps on the border between Austria and Switzerland. It forms the border between the Swiss canton of Graubünden and the Austrian state of Vorarlberg and is the highest peak in Vorarlberg....
, Piz RosegPiz RosegPiz Roseg is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Graubünden, Switzerland.There are two summits on its main ridge:*the south-east and higher summit *the north-west summit, known as the Schneekuppe ....