Mammut released a stunning photo of the Matterhorn Wednesday providing a sneak peak at preparations being taken to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first ascent of the mountain next summer.
Mammut, which has signed on as a corporate sponsor for the celebration, worked with guides from Zermatt to trace the route over the Hörnligrat ridge in a temporary chain of lights in a dry run for next year, when the lights will be deployed to pay homage to the first ascent of the roped party with Edward Whymper.
The event is being produced by the agency ErdmannPeisker and captured by well-known Swiss mountaineering photographer Robert Bösch. The lights reached from the Hörnli hut to the summit. At many places on the chain, the mountain guides wore headlamps on their climbing helmets, in others the lamps preinstalled by local mountain guides were used.
Zermatt mountain guides will be illuminating the route for one month next year to commemorate the July 15, 2015 anniversary of the ascent.
Mountaineering photographer Robert Bösch captured the special moment shortly before dusk. He too, cannot escape his fascination for the mountain:
The Matterhorn first interested me as a mountaineer-particularly because of its extraordinary form and the story behind the first ascent. The summit success of nearly 150 years ago was the high point of the big first ascents, the end of alpinisms golden years. The first ascent by Edward Whymper stretched him to his limits, evidenced by the fact that four of the seven in the ascent group met their deaths during descent.”
Yesterday, Bösch was faced with a particularly challenging day in his photography career:
The Matterhorn is one of the most photographed mountains in the world,” he said. “Its extraordinary form makes it easy to take a good photo. Paradoxically that was what made it so challenging, because it makes it so difficult to produce a breathtaking photo.”
Robert Böschs photo of the chain of lights will be the key visual for Swiss mountaineering specialist Mammuts worldwide advertising campaign over the coming year.
Moutaineering has been our home for 152 years. With this background, we would like to pay special tribute to the mountain with this event,” stated Rolf Schmid, CEO of Mammut Sports Group AG, which traces it origins back to the same era as Whymper’s historic climb.
Zermatt is also collaborating with Mammut to create a Matterhorn Collection for Summer 2015.
Kurt Lauber, hut supervisor at the Hörnli hut and unofficial caretaker at the Hörnligrats ridge, said excitement is building.
“For me as hut supervisor, the renovations and new buildings at the Hörnli hut are the truly remarkable events,” said Lauber. “Im glad that even more traditional Swiss companies, alongside Mammut, are supporting the hut reconstructions as Peak Partners.”
