Bishorn

Height
4,153 m

First ascent
18 August 1884

First climbed by
G.S. Barnes, R. Chessyre-Walker, Joseph Imboden, J.M. Chanton

Tip in the village

• Mountaineers’ cemetery, Zermatt: gravestone of Eleonore Noll-Hasenclever 

Tips for visitors

• Sunnegga
• Gornergrat
• Matterhorn glacier paradise

Tips for hikers

• Parts of the Europaweg trail from Sunnegga

Bishorn: tips for mountaineers

• Mountain guide necessary
• 2-day trip
• Glacier trek
• Medium difficulty

Neighbour of the Weisshorn
The Bishorn is located above Zinal and, together with the Diablons, forms the north end of the Dent Blanche nappe. It lies in the immediate vicinity of the Weisshorn and has two summits. From the west summit, there is an impressive view of the Weisshorn ridge, of which the Bishorn is an extension. The ascent from the Cabane de Tracuit via the north-west flank to the east ridge is regarded as one of the easiest climbs among the Alps’ 4,000-metre summits.

History
“The happiness that the mountains give their loyal followers is a very special thing; it cannot be forced. But anyone who feels this happiness will be forever under the spell of the mountains. They make him infinitely rich, and I also believe that he can never be completely poor again!” These are the words of Eleonore Noll-Hasenclever (1880–1925), describing the attraction of the Bishorn. The successful German mountaineer is buried in Zermatt, having lost her life in the descent from the Bishorn. She learned the basics of mountaineering from Alexander Burgener of Saas Fee, who was probably the most popular mountain guide of the Belle Époque. She climbed a total of 21 summits over 4,000 m, including the Matterhorn eight times. Eleonore Noll-Hasenclever wrote a number of books about her experiences in the Alps, including “The Ascent of the Dôme de Rochefort via the Aiguille de Rochefort and the Mont Mallet” and “In den Saaser Bergen” (“In the Saas Mountains”). Her memoirs were published in 1932 under the title “Under the Spell of the Mountains” (“Den Bergen verfallen)”.

Reading
“Erste am Seil: Pionierinnen in Fels und Eis”, by Caroline Fink and Karin Steinbach Tarnutzer. In German only. Published by Tyrolia Verlag, ISBN 978-3-7022-3252-8