A wall erected at the crossroads of worlds, Lyskamm celebrates the grandeur of the Alps on the borders of Valais and Italy. Between Breithorn and the Mont-Rose massif, the mountain shows off its fabulous glaciers. But what does it conceal in its rocky depths? And how does it relate to man? Today, I'd like to take a look at Lyskamm, that fearsome giant at summit in the Swiss Alps.
Portrait of Lyskamm : Ice wall in the Valais Alps
The Lyskamm, or Liskamm, was born of the furious folding of the Mont Rose nappe. Through tumult and confrontation, nature has given life to this titan of gneiss. A unique mountain that traces an incredible path across the sky. For it has two summits : the eastern Lyskamm , culminating at 4532 m, and the western Lyskamm , rising to 4479 m above sea level. The long Grenzgrat ridge linking the two offers an unforgettable run at 4450 m altitude. This immense ridge between earth and sky marks the border between the Swiss Valais and the Aosta Valley.
Above Zermattthe Lyskamm stands out for its stature. But it also draws the eye with its flamboyance. Overlooking the Gornergletscher, its north face sports a white cuirass. At a height of over 1,200 metres, the Grenzgletscher offers Lyskamm a sparkling display. An impressive wall of ice with the scent of the unattainable. The southern slope of the mountain, less steep, also shines in the Gressoney sky, covered in the ice of the Lysgletscher. But what does the mountain conceal from the human eye behind all this radiance?
Profile of Lyskamm : Man-eater at summit in the Swiss Alps
The Lyskamm, nicknamed the "man-eater", is a merciless peak. It challenges its prey to conquer it, the better to devour them when the time comes. It then joins forces with the snow and the winds to set a diabolical trap for the climbers. While gusts of wind from the north-east create gigantic cornices on its ridges, winds from the south hollow them out and weaken them. Then they give way under man's weight, taking him with them in their fatal fall.
At dawn on September 6, 1877, the Alps were on the brink of a terrible tragedy. W.A. Lewis, N. Paterson, the Niklaus brothers, J. and P.-J. Knubel were climbing the ridge linking the Lisjoch to the eastern summit of Lyskamm. Suddenly, a snow cornice collapses, taking the whole party down with it. The climbers were found dead 500 m below on the Grenzgletscher. In 1896, the same tragedy befell the Alps. The accident claimed the lives of M. Gunther and his two guides, R. Imoden and P. Ruppen. The ruthless cunning of the headwinds at summit of Lyskamm got the better of the most daring men.
First ascent of Lyskamm 's eastern ridge summit
Lyskamm remained unexplored until August 19, 1861. On that day, mountaineers joined forces to conquer the mountain. Eight Englishmen, five Swiss guides and one French guide took part in the adventure. They are: Jean-Pierre Cachat, William Edward Hall, John Frederick Hardy, Karl Herr, John Alfred Hudson, Franz Josef Lochmatter, Josef-Marie and Peter Perren, Charles Henry Pilkington, Andrew Crombie Ramsay, Thomas Rennison, Francis Sibson, Russell Maule Stephenson and Stefan Zumtaugwald.
From the heights of Le Lisjoch, the team set off along the ridge leading to summit du Lyskamm. By redoubling their vigilance, they managed to cross several snow cornices safely before finally reaching the highest point of the ice giant. With this first ascent of Lyskamm 's eastern summit via its eastern ridge, they inaugurated the normal route. Accessible from the Gnifetti hut or the Mont-Rose hut, it promises climbers an exceptional journey to the heights of the Alps.
The Grenzgrat crossing of Lyskamm : An exceptional race
Where the mountain becomes prodigious is when it offers us the infinite chance to traverse its crests for more than two kilometers. Crossing Lyskamm via the Grenzgrat is an ecstasy, a thirst for the absolute. On August 16, 1864, Jakob Anderegg, Franz Biener, Edward Buxton and Leslie Stephen set off up the Felikjoch to climb the mountain. After making the first ascent of its western summit , they made the first crossing of the Grenzgrat. A double feat in the Alpine sky.
By reaching the eastern summit of Lyskamm, they paved the way for many other roped parties. Two years later, two teams repeated the feat, one from the west and the other from the east. Then, in 1907, Geoffrey Winthorp Young and his guide reached a new milestone, twice traversing the entire ridge in the same day. At midnight, they left Riffelalp for the Nordend. At that point, they had only one goal in mind: to cross the entire summits border from Nordend to Breithorn. They stride along the ridges of Monte Rosa and Lyskamm. But as they reached the Feliksjoch, G.W. Young saw that his guide was at the end of his tether. On the flanks of the Castor, both men are weakening. They are in despair. They will never be able to finish their race. A dull fear grips them. For the mountain senses when man becomes weak.
They go on in spite of everything, going beyond themselves. Listening only to their hearts and their footsteps on the snow. But at the foot of Pollux, reason prevails. Breithorn is still a long way off, and they are exhausted. So, in a final burst of daring or madness, G.W. Young convinces his companion to retrace their steps. Instead of descending via the Zwillingsglestcher, the team crossed Lyskamm again. Arriving at the Lisjoch in the afternoon, G.W. Young wanted to continue to summit on Mount Rose. But this time, his guide refused outright. He no longer had the strength to continue. So they descend to the valley, treading the ice of the Grenzgletscher. Under the scorching sun, its gaping crevasses threaten to engulf them at any moment. They need to get to safety as quickly as possible. Summoning all their remaining courage, they leap over the cracks, dashing across the steaming glacier. When they finally reach the valley, the climbers are relieved. The expedition may have left a taste of unfinished business, but in the eyes of history, it was a true feat.
First ascent of Lyskamm via the Cresta Perazzi and its north face
Once conquered, the mountain decided to open its routes to man. On July 22, 1867, Christian Almer, Charles Edward Mathews, Alexander Maurer and Frederick Morshead made the first ascent of the Cresta Perazzi, the southwest ridge of Lyskamm. The first winter ascent of this route was made on March 22, 1885 by Pietro Guglielmina, Jean Joseph Maquignaz, Alfonso Corradino and Vittorio Sella.
In 1880, the Kalbermatten brothers attempted to climb the north-east face of Lyskamm. But just as they were about to tackle this vertiginous face, an avalanche swept them up to the Grenzgletscher. Fortunately, they escaped. It wasn't until August 9, 1890, that a rope party succeeded where they had failed. summit On that day, Ludwig Norman-Neruda, accompanied by his guides Christian Klucker and Josef Reinstadler, reached Lyskamm 's eastern side via its northern slope, thus inaugurating the Norman-Neruda route. After crossing the snowy slopes at the bottom of the mountain, they decided to take a rocky spur that led them directly to the main summit Lyskamm . This route has since become one of the classics, and has given rise to several variants, all of them impressive.
The story reveals a fascinating portrait. That of an impregnable and sublime Lyskamm . A mountain that plays with the winds to subdue man. The story of two summits forever united by their razor-sharp edge ripping through the sky. My memories of this crossing are indelible. I'm sure that Lyskamm will always inspire my art and photography at summit .
