Pic Tyndall


Pic Tyndall is a minor summit below the Matterhorn in the Pennine Alps, on the boundary between Aosta Valley and Switzerland. Because of its small prominence it was included in the enlarged list of alpine four-thousanders. It was named in honour of John Tyndall who made the first ascent.

First ascent

Pic Tyndall was not considered as a goal in itself but it was located on the Lion ridge, where most of the attempts to climb the Matterhorn took place. Its summit was effectively reached during one of those attempts by John Tyndall accompanied by his guides Johann Joseph Bennen and Walter. Jean-Antoine Carrel and César Carrel were engaged as porters. The five men started from Breuil on July 27, 1863.
A wooden ladder, which Tyndall had taken with him, helped them over the most difficult passage, subsequently named the "grande corde". They could not go any higher than Pic Tyndall since the cleft that separated it from the final peak of the Matterhorn, named the enjambée, stopped them. It was at the time, the highest altitude reached by man on the Matterhorn.
John Tyndall wrote: