THE MATTHERHORN IN ZOOMIFY
by Michelle Bienias
The mid 1850's to the end of the 1860's marked the start of modern mountaineering as a sport in its own rights. This period became known as the "Golden Age" of alpinism. Most of the 4,000m peaks in the Alps had been climbed by the end of the 1850's but there was still one sought after prize - the picturesque Matterhorn - and Edward Whymper, son of an English wood-engraver, became the most famous mountaineer from the Victorian era when he made the first ascent in July 1865.
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Edward Whymper was an artist who had been commissioned to make drawings of the Alps for the second edition of Peaks, Passes and Glaciers, the guidebook to the Alps. Although he had never seen a mountain before his first glimpse of the Matterhorn in 1861, he immediately tried to scale the summit, a feat considered impossible by the best mountaineers of the time. Although that attempt and subsequent ones ended in defeat, Whymper reached his goal in 1865, but his triumph was dampened when four of his six companions plunged down an abyss to their deaths, an event that would haunt him for the rest of his life. The Matterhorn, at 4478m (14,691 ft.), is not the highest mountain in Europe but is one of the most popular, and as one of the most frequently climbed mountains, its degree of difficulty is often underestimated, giving it one of the highest death rates in the world. A victim of its own popularity, large numbers of climbers and the various maneuvers they use to overtake each other, increase the likelihood of accidents. Accessible from the popular ski resort of Zermatt (nestled beneath the mountain’s north face) Switzerland or Cervinia, Italy, ascending the mountain is only for experienced climbers in top physical shape, and even then they’re advised to hire a guide. But there are many 4000m peaks in the area for less experienced climbers. Hornli Ridge and Lion Ridge are considered the easiest routes because of the long sections of fixed ropes and ladders that enable local guides to get their clients up quickly. More experienced climbers tackle the classic routes such as the Zmutt and Furggen Ridges; the most experienced test their skills on the North Face. Shoot Details:
The accompanying panorama of the Matterhorn is notable for its hi resolution (thanks to Zoomify), enabling one to zoom in for incredible detail. Forty-eight images were stitched together using Stitcher 4.0 (160 minute rendering time) to create the 20'000 x 11'577 pano. Five renderings were required to achieve the desired level of detail. Image 1 shows the grid that was used to guarantee retouching of all parts of the image. The second image shows the Stitcher file with some overlapping parts taken out and later used to substitute area ‘vibrations’ caused by image overlapping. 
Recommended Equipment:
Climbing boots with rubber soles and crampons
Warm clothing, gloves and hat
Rope and harness
Ice axe
Helmet with headlamp
Sunglasses
Best Climbing Months:
July, August and September
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