The English Alpine Club began in 1857
This new ‘Gentleman’s Club,’ formed by a few wealthy young men in London caused immediate interest in the Alps of Switzerland. Twenty-seven year old Leslie Stephen became one of the charter members. Having finished Cambridge, he immediately followed his ambition to conquer many Swiss glacier-laden mountains. Stephen was one of the most prominent figures in the Golden Age of Alpinism (the period between 1857 and 1875). During this time many major alpine peaks saw their first ascents. Stephen made nine of these in thirteen years. From the summits of his first ascent in 1858 of the three peaked Wildstrubel, he could see the majestic Bietschhorn, and decided it would be his next conquest. 

150^th Anniversary Celebrated in Lötschental Valley of Switzerland
Since the closed Lötschental Valley had no entrance until 1924, Stephen had to cross a mountain pass from Kandersteg to find the majestic 12,907 ft Bietschhorn in August, 1859. On August 13, he made his climb in twelve hours led by three Lötschental guides with very little and inadequate equipment. The re-enactment of this First Ascent took place August 13, 2009, 150 years later, with a week long festival.

For the Anniversary, the Lötschental provideded guides to all of the thirty-two participants who wanted them, as they had furnished the three original guides to Stephen. By climbing three hours and staying at the Bietschhorn Hut (8,416 ft) the night of August 12, 2009, twenty-five climbers set out at 3:00 am to scale the West and South faces. These two different routes from the Hut gave choices, one more rock and one more glacier. The last person from the Hut arrived at the summit at 9:20 am.

Seven approached the mountain from the southern slope’s town of Ausserberg, staying at the Wiwannihütte (8,107 ft) on the 12th. Their scaling of the sheer rock faces on the North face called for more roping together, axes, picks and crampons. They arrived together on top by 9:40 am. 

Current English Alpine Club Members Participate
Gus Morton and Dave Wynne-Jones from the English Alpine Club joined the climb, honoring their early member who made that First Ascent. An interesting aspect of this Club is that to be a member, one must have climbed at least twenty of the over 12,000 ft mountains of the club’s worldly list. These two had never met until the day before the climb, but because of the Club’s precise records, (Gus had climbed over sixty-one of the peaks and Dave twenty more than that), they were familiar enough with each other’s achievements and expertise resulting in complete trust of each other. They went on the Bietschhorn together with no guide. Neither had climbed in the Lötschental before. Their comments as they arrived back in Ried at 5:45 pm: “Spectacular!” Later in the evening when asked how they felt about the Bietschhorn, both agreed with respect, “It is a hard mountain!” When pursued on the difficulty, they concluded, “the loose rock” as they had encountered a rock slide and had to change their route at one point.

Gus mentioned at the banquet, that sometimes with that many climbers, it can become crowded causing a few problems, but this group created such a friendly, comradely atmosphere, it became a pleasure to be on the same mountain with them. The only time different that space became a problem was when all gathered on the small summit for the special mass at 10:00 am. That proved to be very crowded and a safe square to stand without the backpack hitting someone else was scarce.