Beyond the Weisshorn, splendor of the imperial crown of Zinal, between the Zermatt valley and val d’Anniviers. At 4506 metres, summit dominates the Valais Alps in Switzerland. On the right, its northern ridge lifts us up to the sky via the Grand Gendarme, while on the left, the normal route brings us back down to earth. I completed this magnificent traverse last summer, undoubtedly one of the longest and toughest ridge climbs I've ever tackled. A sublime journey between heaven and earth, for which I went to the very end of myself. At an altitude of over 4500 metres, my body was drained as much as my soul was overwhelmed by the beauty of the place. Then, as I made my way back down, each step that brought me back to earth helped me regain my energy. The breath of life that allowed me to complete this quest for the essential.

I took this striking photograph of the Weisshorn mountain just after a storm had passed through and covered its walls with a thick layer of snow. Pure and sublime, it seems to dominate the surrounding mountains. In the background, adding depth to the picture, the Monte Rosa massif rises out of a sea of clouds. To the right, the main ridge of the Imperial Crown, leading to summit on the Zinalrothorn, stands out. On the horizon, the Matterhorn and the Dent d'Hérens and then the Italian Alps. According to Edward Whymper, who made the first ascent of the Matterhorn, the Weisshorn would be even more majestic. And I don't disagree. Its exceptional scale is both its beauty and its inaccessibility. An imposing, sumptuous mountain that ruthlessly dominates the summits imperial crown.