Well, Matterhorn is currently a very very far dream for me, as i am seriously lack of the experience and skill to do it. In fact, i stay in a tropical country, and there is no ice on the mountains.

So i was thinking, i need to start somewhere. Probably 8-10 mountains with ice cap progressively difficult until i am capable enough to attempt the matterhorn.

probably some of the simpler walk in the ice first before going to those ice climbing and walls.

Any suggestion? Can be anywhere is the world, and probably some fame attached to it...

for now, i believe Fuji and Mont Blanc is on my list.

There is very little ice on the matterhorn. You need to be able to climb efficiently on exposed ridges and be good at scrambling. You could spend a week in the Alps prior to your attempt doing repeated transverses of Cosmique Arete, Aguille d'Entreves etc. The trick with the matterhorn is to be acclimitised before your attempt. thats where I saw a lot of people suffer.

Start here:
http://www.summitpost.org/puny-pinnacle/519874

Book a week of guided climbing in the Alps with a guide. You'll need that much time, anyway, to get acclimated and hit a good weather window. Your guide will take you up something easy to start, and depending on how you do, progress to harder climbs which may or may not include the Matterhorn. As others have said, it is mainly rocky scrambling and exposure. No steep ice climbing, although crampons may be used (also on the rock). You have to be fast on mixed ground, as well, and there will likely be many other tourist climbers on the mountain in various states of capability.

Get in as good of shape as possible, do whatever hikes and climbs you can in your area, then book a private guide for a week.

pvnisher wrote:Book a week of guided climbing in the Alps with a guide. You'll need that much time, anyway, to get acclimated and hit a good weather window. Your guide will take you up something easy to start, and depending on how you do, progress to harder climbs which may or may not include the Matterhorn. As others have said, it is mainly rocky scrambling and exposure. No steep ice climbing, although crampons may be used (also on the rock). You have to be fast on mixed ground, as well, and there will likely be many other tourist climbers on the mountain in various states of capability.

Get in as good of shape as possible, do whatever hikes and climbs you can in your area, then book a private guide for a week.

any idea how hard are the rock climb? is it just scrambing or is it necesssary for rope to be used?

any easier peaks on the alps to be recommended?

I have always found the Cosley Houston website a good guide.

http://cosleyhouston.com/alps.htm

My advice is here in the "Climbing the Matterhorn" section:

http://www.summitpost.org/matterhorn-mo ... ino/150235