How the Matterhorn Created Modern Mountaineering 150 Years Ago

The summit of the Matterhorn pierces the sky like a medieval spear. Standing on its tip, my crampon points biting into a rim of blue ice, I feel as though I’ve been swallowed by the sky. The plunging emptiness gives way to nearly endless views Switzerland to the north and Italy to the south. The actual climb to get to the top of this icon is so delicate and difficult—5,000 feet (1,500 meters) of crumbling spires, overhanging walls, and slick, down-sloping ledges strewn with rubble…