The Hornli Ridge Route

This photo shows the route we will be taking up the Hornli Ridge on the Matterhorn's  north east corner. The climb starts by taking the cable car up from Zermatt and then walking for a couple of hours to reach a hut at the base of the rock ridge. The Hornli hut is at 3260m and is just off the bottom of the photo above.

We will stay in the Hornli hut over night getting up at about 3am to be on the first rock pitch by 4am. So climbing starts in the dark with head torches - at least we won't be able to see the drops on each side at that point! It is then a relentless climb up the ridge. There is an emergency hut - The Solvay Hut - at 4003m. The altitude will probably be getting to us by this point and unfortunately the last section below the summit is some of the steepest and most difficult. 

We will hopefully reach the summit by early morning. It's vital that we are up there before late morning as the weather usually turns stormy in the afternoon.

Going down can be harder than going up. It's easier to lose your footing and you therefore need to take your time and be very careful. We'd hope to be back down at the Hornli Hut by mid to late afternoon.

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