Story: Mountaineering

Scaling the Matterhorn

Scaling the Matterhorn

In the mid-19th century, upper middle-class Britons discovered the thrills of climbing in the Alps. Edward Whymper was a leading mountaineer who made the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. This image from his account, Scrambles amongst the Alps (1871), captures the romantic heroism of his achievement. He wrote, ‘At 1.40 p.m. the world was at our feet, and the Matterhorn was conquered. Hurrah! Not a footstep could be seen.’

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Reference: Edward Whymper, Scrambles amongst the Alps. 6th ed. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1937, p. 313

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How to cite this page:

John Wilson, 'Mountaineering - Beginnings', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/artwork/10477/scaling-the-matterhorn (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by John Wilson, published 24 Sep 2007, updated 1 Feb 2017