A titanic pyramid, Dent Blanche rises between the Val d'Hérens and the Zermatt valley in the Valais Alps. This magnificent square-format black-and-white photograph highlights the mountain's southern ridge, the celestial line guiding climbers to an altitude of 4358 metres. The normal route I climbed to reach summit. The Ferpècle ridge on the left and the Quatre Ânes ridge on the right outline a Monstrueuse coquette, as Guy de Maupassant called it. Light and shadow collide to give life to two vertiginous walls. A paradise for steep skiers, Gilles Sierro and Vivian Bruchez descended its south-west face and Paul Bonhomme its south-east face. Incredible feat!

I took this portrait of Dent Blanche in 2023, when a miraculous storm finally managed to plaster the mountains. Giving summits a Himalayan presence. But this ultimate splendor lasts only a few minutes. For the snow covering the rocks is even more vulnerable than the glaciers that lie at their foot. The mist rises to 3600 metres, engulfing the valleys. Only the highest summits manage to escape. Rising from the azure waters, Dent Blanche is reborn in the daylight, divine and bewitching. She encourages me to continue my quest. To immortalize the purity of the heights and preserve the heritage of the Alps.

Admire Dent Blanche sparkling in the sun. Its teeming detail. Its immaculate drapery so rare today. Even in shadow, the snow reflects the light, giving the picture a unique depth. The softness of the tones quenches the mountain's strength and soothes our souls. A newfound balance of vigor and serenity.