MOUNTAINEERING INFORMATION ARTICLES

Melchior Anderegg: Swiss Ascentionist

Born on March 28, 1828 in Zaun, Meiringen, Melchior Anderegg was a distinguished and respectable Swiss mountain guide during the golden ages of Alpinism, from 1854 to 1865, and the silver ages of Alpinism, from 1865 to 1882. As a mountain guide he had climbed with well-known individuals such as Sir Leslie Stephen, an English author, mountaineer, and father of Virginia Woolf.

Aside from being a reputable mountain guide, Anderegg also has a few accomplishments up his sleeve. A number of first ascents has been claimed by the Swiss climbing enthusiast, the first of which was in September 11, 1858 when he climbed the 3,243-meter Wildstrubel at the Bernese Alps. It was soon followed the next year to the Rimpfischhorn on September 9, 1859, part of the Pennine Alps with a 4,199-meter height. He again conquered another of the Pennine Alps when he climbed the Alphubel on August 9, 1860. After being the first to ascent on these 3 mountains, he continued on to be the first ascent of 7 more mountains, including the 3,664-meter Blüemlisalphorn on August 27, 1860, Monte Disgrazia on August 23, 1862, and Dent d'Hérens on August 12, 1863 with a height of 4,171 meters. In the same year that he conquered Dent d'Hérens he also distinguished himself to be the first to summit another of the Pennine Alps, Parrotspitze, on August 16, 1863, just four days after his climb at Dent d'Hérens. He moved on to climb three more mountains, the 3,698-meter high Balmhorn on July 21, 1864, the 4,221-meter high Zinalrothorn on August 22, 1864, and the Grandes Jorasses on June 30, 1868 with a height of 4,208 meters.

Aside from being a mountain guide and an ascentionist, Anderegg is also a professional wood carver, an entrepreneur with his own shop in Zermatt, Switzerland, near the northern base of the Matterhorn.

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