L'Éclat Après la Tempête

The Weisshorn (4505 m) appears just after the storm. The clouds still swirl around summit in light curls, revealing the soul of the high mountain. Here we are facing its northern ridge. I was lucky enough to make this mythical ascent in 2022. I was able to contemplate this mountain all frosted in white.

It's rare to see photographs of such steep, completely plastered faces. At the time I took the photo, the Weisshorn was the only 4000-meter peak still entirely white. The winds have already blown the snow off the surrounding mountains. I'm still trying to understand why the snow clings so well to such summits. The vertical face of the Weisshorn, offering so little space, does not prevent the snow from encrusting itself in the smallest interstices. The white gold of the heavens settles and holds firm, at one with the rock, despite the constant assaults of the impetuous winds. Eventually, the whole thing freezes and summit becomes a timeless moment.

Our gaze then turns to this pure, sharp, celestial ridge. It's a tower, a castle in the sky, the guardian of the imperial crown of the Alps. Under these conditions, summit is the stuff of dreams, but even the most humble mountaineer will conclude that it will remain inaccessible for weeks on end, as long as the snow remains a barrier to any ascent. This unique work of art shines through the contrast between the crystalline white of the Weisshorn's west face overlooking the Val d'Anniviers and the darkness of its north face plunging into Zermatt. Its monumental ridge, meanwhile, is protected by its eternal guardian: the Grand Gendarme, who watches over its summit and represents a challenge for climbers wishing to tackle this mythical 4000-meter peak.