What was the Matterhorn challenge and why did we do it?

Following last week's successful climb we are settling back into normality and have had time to reflect on what we did and why.

In terms of what we did we took on probably the biggest challenge of our lives. Having committed to the climb most of us had a quick google, frightened ourselves silly and had to set about changing our lifestyles (some more drastically than others) and find a level of fitness we haven’t seen in quite a while. But we did it.  There were moments when we frightened the living daylights out of ourselves – and some of us need real medals for continually being prepared to climb the next bit of rock. 

The acclimatisation week was great. We worked as a team and kept each other going and through the pain and exhaustion there were genuine moments of delight and pleasure.

The Matterhorn climb itself was not really a pleasure.  The start in the dark was pressured and although it was cold we were all pouring with sweat from the effort of the first steep pitches and the pace of getting to the Solvey hut before the guides threatened to turn us around. Making the summit was more a relief that we had made it, but that was tempered by the exposed nature of the summit and the anxiety of getting down.  But we did make it and we almost all got to the top together. The down climb was hard. We were tired and you had to keep looking at that drop. At this point some of our ruined knees really paid the price of the steepness of the mountain. So we took different times to get down and therefore getting down also felt more of a relief than a victory.  That first team beer was sweet though!

More importantly – why did we do it. Well, if we are honest the starting point for many things like this is a secret personal desire to do a particular thing. But often you will only make that happen if you join it up with something else. That something else was a friend who has suffered from Breast cancer and had personal experience of the great work the Haven do. She asked for help to raise money for a Haven in the Wessex region.  This struck a strong chord as all of us have been affected in some way by breast cancer. Maybe it is our age that has put it more to the forefront than other forms of cancer.

Why the Haven – well the general desire to help was reinforced by the amazing desire and commitment of the Haven’s CEO Pam Healy and her great staff and other supporters who wanted to inspire people to take on challenges as part of their support for them.  So the germ of the Matterhorn idea started in John Woodman’s mind.  He is persuasive and gradually roped the rest of us in.

Why the Matterhorn – it was such a ridiculous idea for middle aged men with little mountaineering experience – but it seemed to match the challenge of bringing the Haven to Wessex.  The two were a powerful message and a great local message at the right time, and bringing them together we thought we could possibly raise lots of money. That was the most important answer to 'Why'. We wanted to raise a lot of money to help cancer sufferers in our area. We hoped too that the climb might help increase publicity for the Haven - and it has, which is great.

So the ‘why’ was raising as much money and visibility for a cause we passionately believe in and of course achieving a personal goal.  It has taken a lot of time and effort, but it has been hugely worth it!

As a team we have all done our bit, but we would particularly like to recognise the efforts of John Woodman and Malcolm Le May, who have tirelessly driven this project and always kept the focus on the Haven and our goal of doing as much as we could for them.

Along the way we have had a lot of support and we'd like to say the following special thanks: 

Firstly to our wives and families, who have had to put up with our training, dieting, practice walks in crampons and suppress their fears for our safety. Thank you to all of them for their support and forbearance. It made the difference.

Secondly to our fantastic Guides who prepared us so well, inspired us to climb things we would never have believed possible and most importantly kept us safe. Bar a couple of blisters and scuffed knuckles we had no injuries at all.  Thank you Per, Jonatan, Christian and Rutchie.  You are amazing people.  

If anyone wants to be taken safely out of their climbing or skiing comfort zones then speak to Per As. His website is:

www.peras.se

We'd also like to thank our main commercial sponsors - RSA (www.rsagroup.com) and Malcolm Hollis (www.malcolmhollis.com) for their generosity and support - and also everyone else who has dipped in their own pockets and been so generous with their sponsorship.  We have been simply overwhelmed by just how generous people have been. Thank you all.

Thanks to all at TTA Property (www.ttagroup.co.uk) who gave so much of their time and helped us so well with PR. Tiddy for her photo help as ever.

Thanks also to Lizzie Orange for looking after us so well in Zermatt. Nothing was too much trouble - her website is cheznouszermatt.com