European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 20, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I bout i he Mallei Horn. Strangely in seemed that everywhere i turned i d see a picture of the Mountain in offices restaurants Tram stations there was a poster or photo of the matterhorn. Browsing through a Magazine. Or newspaper a Story about it would pop up. In the summer of 1986, i took my first lessons in Rock climbing and i Learned about technical  wife and i climbed the Bre Thorn that summer. Although this is actually a simple hike and not a technical dim it was a Nice experience and was our first Mountain Over 4,000 meters about 13,100 feet. We also walked up to the Hornli Hulitte on the first shoulder. Of the matterhorn. 1 looked up at the. Mountain noticing a the shrines and  climbers who have been killed there. An inner feeling urged me on in my dream to Clr hit but the matterhorn was saying Quot Don t Fry  so i did t. A. A. A. 1 he following summer was to be the time. I made a. Special Effort to gel ready running and doing other conditioning. I met a 26-year-old Mountain guide in. Garmisch named Christoph  helped me climb the Al Spitze one morning. We got along  stayed. In touch. A. A. A but a combination of family problems and bad weather put an end to climbing plans for that summer and a knee problem wiped out plans for the next one i could Only wait until next year. A a would the summer of 1989 work out i hoped i called Krah in the Spring and asked if he had Ever guided on the matterhorn. Ves. And yes he would guide me. Quot of a i said Quot let s do it in August and let s do one or to others before we try the matterhorn i la meet you in Zermatt August 26. Well plan More then depending on the weather. I got to Zermatt a week ahead of Krah Anco walked up several mountains of 3,500 meters 11,480 feet or More to improve the legs.  when Krah arrived the weather turned bad. To could t t limb. We practice climbing  on the Ungerer theodul Gleischer a Glacier at about .3,000meters ust below the Bre Thorn otherwise we sat. Around grumbling about the weather. ,. ,. A a on a monday alter almost two Days of had weather,., we decided to count on a Lor Casl Thal  weather would Imp a on tuesday in was supposed to ire dear and. Is inn but Windy. A Quot i Al s go to the hut up at the i Sualp this afternoon and tomorrow Well do the Sli Ahlholm Quot  the Strahlborn is a 4,200-Melei 1 1,780-foot Peak adjacent. To a pass Between Zermatt and saas f be. We got to die but around 1 p m. We watched. The weather and look a Lew photos. Ai toss the Valley Wea. Could see the matterhorn which was socked in at just. About the 4,000-meter eel it appealed to  a Quot of new Snow on it which h w Asci l Good. I pestered Kiah with questions about  Horn will the weather allow us to c limb it in a few Days do you think there a too nun. H Snow on it now will most of the1 new Snow melt Ott in a Tew Davs Quot we ii list have to wait and see Quot he said patiently. Shortly after Suppe we hit the sat k i he w ind was so Stion Gil sounded As it it would blow  Oil the hut. 1 hulking about the c limb ahead made it hard Tor. Me to. Got to sleep but eventually i do de Oil. We were up at 4 a m and on our Way by. 5. The. V. Weal hot w Ascold Probach in the upper 30s,. But the wind had slopped and the stars Woie shining brightly. The route was practically All on Glac Lei so we  spikes c camped onto oui Bools ,. For a amps Maix Swearengin we made it above the author rests at the top of the matterhorn. Leaning against the Cross at the top of the Mountain Center is guide Cristoph Krah. I Here were countless  All shapes and sizes to negotiate. All this ice was a new experience for me. Hung were a Little spooky now and then., especially. When the crevasses were too wide Loump across. This. Happened a lot and we d find an ice Island in the Middle to Limp to and then get to the other Side. After about an hour on the Glacier it  us with Bangs and groans. Higher up the wind got worse. We thought about mining Back but decided to go on. A Little later at a Point w Here i could hardly see where i was going i asked Krah it we should turn Back although feeling slightly miserable i laughed hard when he said we were Only about 20 meters from the top. A a a a a a a a a ,. It had taken us six hours. I Dun  we stood on the Summit More thai two minutes. We wanted to get Down Blore the wind blew us Ott. A we were Back to the hut in about Lour hours. We a tested Lor. A  went Clown to Zermatt. 1 he weather was Nice the next Dav. About noon we a a Buth remarked that  was Hilling All the. Mountains and that there seemed to be no Clouds. Anywhere. I Start d to ask a question and Krah interrupted Quot i know what you re going to ask me Mark. Of w hot to know what i think the Sun is doing to All that Snow on the  a.1 be then said that most of it would probably melt. He knew the answer i wanted to hear. The weather forecast said we. Should have Good weather through at least noon Friday. We were running out of time so we decided to go up to the Hornli Hutte on the first shoulder of the matterhorn the next Day. The following morning we would try Tor the top. A we got to the hut late thursday afternoon. On Friday. Sept 1,1989, at 5 am. We started for the top. Although. Had a Ood lamp on my helmet i did t enjoy climbing in the dark. Things got better after the Sun came up. The rocks were in Good condition and the Snow was gone ,. After about three hours we. Were at the Solvay Hustle a. Small shelter at about 4,000 meters just below the High shoulder. We rested there briefly and drank Tea. ,. Climbing was More difficult above the shelter mainly because it was steeper and the thin air above. 4,000meters gave me trouble. Krah told me to suck in a deep breath now and then and when  out say Quot Cheepo  i asked what in the world is Quot Cheepo Quot All about. He said Quot it s just another Way of reminding yourself of what ridiculous things we do for  somewhere around the High shoulder we put. On the c tampons. The  was the hardest and i was. Breathing heavily. The air just did t   in it. Finally we reached the 4,478-meter 1.4,701-foot Swiss Summit at-10 a.m.-�. Krah Shook my hand and i thanked him for getting me to the top   of. My  Lile. For years i had dreamed of the Malte Rhom. Now i. A was on the top and it was.  a. 1 Here was More thrill to come. I had been determined to touch the Gipfel Kreuz. Cross on the Summit if Ever a made it to the top. So we walked cautiously along the top. Ridge Over to the italian Summit to touch the Cross alter a. Lew photos to went Back to the Swiss Side Sal Clown and . Fhe weather was great. 1 had expected. Wind at in at Altitude but the air was Calm. The temperature was pleasant and in the High 50s. You it on id see Lor Miles. It could not have been better. ,. Alter about 30 minutes the weather changed,.so to headed Down. By the Lime we were Halfway Down the. Top was socked m and the Clouds seemed to be following us. As we came nearer to the Hoemig we could see. Someone in a Blue windbreaker looking up in our a a a direction with binoculars. We waved and realized. Immediately it was my wife. She had come to the hut to. A meet us. A a o -. A a. A a. Vve got Down to where she was waiting around 2 30 -. . I lie climb was Over. What a Teeling. ,. -1 he Mountain is probably Switzerland s most laments and although it s not extremely difficult to climb it was  for me t Here were around 30 people climbing. It that Clay including two or three other  As i look Back at it All i realize a m an Amateur climber and always will by a a. Still i m fortunate to it it have been Able to climb the. Matterhorn. A a a a and so pos 4 b stripes Magazine june 20, 1991