Scrambles Amongst the Alps in the Years 1860–69 · Chapter
I: Introductory explained
Whymper recounts his early Alpine experiences in 1860, including a perilous solo crossing of the Gorner Glacier, a near-fatal jump over a crevasse, and a night lost in the forest near Zermatt.
What happens
Whymper recounts his early Alpine experiences in 1860, including a perilous solo crossing of the Gorner Glacier, a near-fatal jump over a crevasse, and a night lost in the forest near Zermatt. He also describes encounters with local peasants, a stranded curé, and the awe-inspiring views of the Weisshorn and Mischabel, setting the stage for his mountaineering career.
Themes in this chapter
Danger and Mortality
Whymper's desperate jump over a crevasse and his night lost in the forest highlight the constant physical peril of early Alpine exploration.
Exploration and Discovery
The chapter introduces Whymper's first encounters with the great peaks and his growing passion for mountain scrambling.
Human vs. Nature
Whymper struggles against the glacier, cliffs, and darkness, illustrating the theme of human endurance against natural forces.
Characters to notice
- Edward Whymper
Narrator and protagonist; recounts his first Alpine tour and a dangerous solo glacier crossing.
Key passages
“Everything depended on that jump. Again I asked myself, 'Can it be done?' It must be. So, finding my stick was useless, I threw it and the sketchbook to the ice, and first retreating as far as possible, ran forward with all my might, took the leap, barely reached the other side, and fell awkwardly on my knees.”
Whymper realized his life hinged on a single jump over a crevasse. He discarded his stick and sketchbook, backed up, sprinted, leaped, and just made it to the other side, landing clumsily.
This moment encapsulates the life-or-death decisions faced by early mountaineers.
“The night was pitch dark, and after a time the lights of Zermatt became obscure, or went out altogether. By a series of slides, or falls, or evolutions more or less disagreeable, the descent through the forest was at length accomplished; but torrents of formidable character had still to be passed before one could arrive at Zermatt.”
In total darkness, Whymper lost sight of Zermatt's lights and stumbled through the forest, falling repeatedly, before finally crossing dangerous streams to reach the village at midnight.
Highlights the disorientation and physical hardship of navigating unfamiliar terrain without a guide.