Michel Croz
Encyclopedia
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
mountain guide
Mountain guide
Mountain guides are specially trained and experienced mountaineers and professionals who are generally certified by an association. They are considered experts in mountaineering.-Skills:Their skills usually include climbing, skiing and hiking...
and the first ascent
First ascent
In climbing, a first ascent is the first successful, documented attainment of the top of a mountain, or the first to follow a particular climbing route...
ionist of many mountains in the western 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....
during the golden age of alpinism
Golden age of alpinism
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....
. He is chiefly remembered for his death on the first ascent of the Matterhorn and for his climbing partnership with 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:...
.
Career as a guide
Croz began his guiding career in 1859 when he was engaged by William MathewsWilliam 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:...
for an ascent of Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
. As well as making the first ascent of some of the most significant unclimbed mountains in the Alps – the Grande Casse
Grande Casse
The 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:*...
, Monte Viso
Monte Viso
Monte 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...
, the Barre des Écrins
Barre des Écrins
The 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 :...
and the Aiguille d'Argentière
Aiguille d'Argentière
The 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...
– he also made the first traverse of many previously uncrossed cols
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
, including the col des Ecrins, the col du Sélé and the col du Glacier Blanc
Glacier Blanc
The Glacier Blanc is a glacier in the French département of Hautes-Alpes. Its name derives from the fact that – unlike the nearby Glacier Noir – its surface appears pristinely white due to an absence of morainic debris.A glacier that is largely free of such moraines is generally described in...
in the Massif des Écrins
Massif des Écrins
The mountains of the Massif des Écrins form the core of the Écrins National Park in France.-Mountains:*Barre des Écrins 4102 m*La Meije 3983 m*Ailefroide 3954 m*Mont Pelvoux 3946 m*Pic Sans Nom 3913 m*Pic Gaspard 3883 m*Le Râteau 3809 m...
(all in 1862 with 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:...
, Peter Perren and Bartolomméo Peyrotte). In 1863, he climbed the Grandes Rousses with William Mathews, Thomas George Bonney
Thomas George Bonney
Thomas George Bonney FRS was an English geologist.-Career:Bonney was the eldest son of the Reverend Thomas Bonney, master of Rugeley Grammar School...
and his brother Jean-Baptiste Croz, and in 1864 he made the first traverse of the brèche de la Meije
Meije
La Meije is a mountain in the Massif des Écrins range, located at the border of the Hautes-Alpes and Isère départements. It overlooks the nearby village of La Grave, a mountaineering centre and ski resort, well-known for its off-piste and extreme skiing possibilities.La Meije is composed of three...
and the first traverse of the col de la Pilatte (with Edward Whymper, Horace Walker
Horace Walker
Horace Walker was an English mountaineer who made many notable first ascents, including Mount Elbrus and the Grandes Jorasses.-Alpinism:...
, 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...
and Saas-Fee
Saas-Fee
Saas-Fee is the main village in the Saastal, or the Saas Valley, and is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
guide 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....
). Of the latter expedition, Whymper was later to write,
Matterhorn accident
Following eight failed attempts on the Matterhorn starting from 1861, Whymper was recalled to London in the summer of 1864 and offered the services of Croz to his friend Adams-Reilly, advising him to make an attempt on the mountain (all three had been in a party that had made the first ascent of Mont DolentMont Dolent
Mont 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...
that year).Scrambles amongst the Alps, 6th edition, Editor's Introduction, p. vi This never came to anything, and the next year Croz was again employed by Whymper. Together with Christian Almer and Franz Biner they made the first ascent of the Grand Cornier
Grand Cornier
The 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...
, and the first ascent of Pointe Whymper on the Grandes Jorasses
Grandes Jorasses
The Grandes Jorasses is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif.The first ascent of the highest peak of the mountain was by Horace Walker with guides Melchior Anderegg, Johann Jaun and Julien Grange on 30 June 1868...
.Helmut Dumler and Willi P. Burkhardt, The High Mountains of the Alps, London: Diadem, 1994, p. 187. Dumler calls this 'the "moral" first ascent' of the Grandes Jorasses. Although Croz and Whymper, together with Christian Almer and Franz Biner, did not reach the highest point of the mountain (Pointe Walker, 4,208 m), they were the first to find a way to the summit ridge, and ascended the slightly lower summit of Pointe Whymper (4,148 m). Dumler writes 'here is [a] case where the formal credit is accorded to the successful party [Walker, 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...
, Grange, Jaun, 1868)] after an earlier attempt [Croz et al.] had resolved most of the difficulties.'
On the Matterhorn, Croz and Whymper tried a route via a couloir on the south-east face but were unsuccessful.The High Mountains of the Alps, p. 149 Croz then had to fulfil an engagement with Charles Hudson, during which – together with T. S. Kennedy – they made the first ascent of the Moine ridge of the Aiguille Verte
Aiguille Verte
The 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...
, whilst Whymper attempted to join forces with the Valtournenche
Valtournenche
Valtournenche is a town and comune in the Aosta Valley region of north-western Italy.-Notable people:* Jean-Antoine Carrel , mountain climber* Jean-Joseph Maquignaz , mountain climber...
guide Jean-Antoine Carrel. When this proved impossible (Carrel instead leading an Italian party on an attempt on the Italian ridge of the mountain), Whymper teamed up with 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:...
and the two Zermatt
Zermatt
Zermatt is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a population of about 5,800 inhabitants....
guides, Peter Taugwalder father and son. Eventually this party decided to share the attempt on their common objective of the Hörnli ridge with Croz and Hudson, who had been joined by Hudson's protégé – the young, inexperienced and badly shod Douglas Hadow
Douglas Robert Hadow
Douglas Robert Hadow was an English novice mountaineer who died on the descent after the first ascent of the Matterhorn.-Family:...
.
After this party of seven successfully made the first ascent of the Matterhorn on 14 July 1865, the order on the rope during the descent was Croz going down first, followed by Hadow, then Hudson, Douglas, old Peter Taugwalder and Whymper, with young Peter Taugwalder bringing up the rear. According to Claire Engel,
The rope (an old, thin and worn line) between Douglas and old Peter Taugwalder snapped, saving the remaining three members of the party – Taugwalder father and son, and Whymper. Croz's body, together with those of Hudson and Hadow (but not Douglas), were recovered from the Matterhorn glacier. Croz was buried in the south side of Zermatt churchyard, on the other side from the graves of Hudson and Hadow. Whymper wrote: 'The inscription that is placed upon his tomb truthfully records that he was beloved by his comrades and esteemed by travellers.'Scrambles amongst the Alps, p. 136 Whymper subsequently 'had to see to the fund for Croz's widow and he took on, later on, much care over a suitable memorial for the man who had been, despite occasional differences, undoubtedly his favourite guide.'D. F. O. Dangar and T. S. Blakeney, 'A Word for Whymper', in Mirrors in the Cliffs, ed. Jim Perrin, London: Diadem, 1983, p. 477
First ascents
- 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:*...
with William Mathews and E. Favre on 8 August 1860 - 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...
with F. W. Jacomb and William Mathews on 23 August 1861 - 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...
with F. W. Jacomb and William Mathews on 30 August 1861 - 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 :...
with A. W. Moore, Horace Walker, Edward Whymper, Christian Almer the elder and Christian Almer the younger on 25 June 1864 - 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...
with by A. Reilly, Edward Whymper, H. Charlet and M. Payot on 9 July 1864 - 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...
with A. Reilly, Edward Whymper, H. Charlet and M. Payot on 15 July 1864 - 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...
with Edward Whymper, Christian Almer and Franz Biner on 16 June 1865 - Pointe Whymper on the Grandes JorassesGrandes JorassesThe Grandes Jorasses is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif.The first ascent of the highest peak of the mountain was by Horace Walker with guides Melchior Anderegg, Johann Jaun and Julien Grange on 30 June 1868...
with Edward Whymper, Christian Almer and Franz Biner on 24 June 1865 - Moine ridge of the 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...
(second ascent of the mountain) with Charles Hudson and T. S. Kennedy in July 1865 - 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...
with Lord Frederick Douglas, Douglas Hadow, Charles Hudson, Edward Whymper, Peter Taugwalder father and son on 14 July 1865
Commemoration
Pointe Croz (4,110 m), a summit on the Grandes JorassesGrandes Jorasses
The Grandes Jorasses is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif.The first ascent of the highest peak of the mountain was by Horace Walker with guides Melchior Anderegg, Johann Jaun and Julien Grange on 30 June 1868...
, is named after him. It was first climbed in 1909, 'probably' by Eleonore Hasenclever, Wilhelm Klemm, Felix König and Richard Weitzenböck.The High Mountains of the Alps, p. 188 The summit gives its name to the Croz Spur , a major buttress on the north face of the mountain, one of the great north faces of the Alps
Great north faces of the Alps
In mountaineering, the six great north faces of the Alps are known for their difficulty and great height. They are:*Cima Grande di Lavaredo*Eiger*Grandes Jorasses*Matterhorn*Petit Dru*Piz Badile...
. This buttress was first climbed by Martin Meier and Rudolf Peters from 28–29 June 1935.
Croz is commemorated in Chamonix by the avenue Michel Croz, a busy thoroughfare that crosses the river Arve
Arve
The Arve river flows for approximately 100 km through France, in the département of Haute-Savoie, and in Switzerland...
in the centre of the town. One of the oldest buildings in Chamonix, the wooden Salle Michel Croz, was burnt to the ground in a fire on 15 February 1999.