Zinalrothorn, Mountain summit in Pennine Alps, Switzerland.
Zinalrothorn rises to 4,221 meters above sea level, featuring steep rock faces and a distinctive peak between Matter Valley and Val d'Anniviers. The mountain displays sharp ridges and angular formations that shape its appearance from different viewpoints.
The first ascent occurred in 1864 when Leslie Stephen and Florence Crauford Grove reached the summit with guides Jakob and Melchior Anderegg via the northern ridge. This early climbing achievement connected the peak to the era of alpine mountaineering exploration.
The mountain draws its name from the nearby village of Zinal and from Rothorn, which means Red Peak in German, showing how local communities named their surroundings. These names reflect the way people connected places with physical features and settlements they could see or reach.
Climbers typically start from the Rothorn Hut before sunrise and navigate through glacier terrain mixed with ice and rock sections. The route demands experience with altitude, glacier travel, and steep climbing on varied terrain.
In the 1880s, the first president of the Ladies Alpine Club had to climb the mountain twice after forgetting her detachable skirt section at the summit. This incident reflects the practical challenges faced by women mountaineers of that era.
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