220px, Christian Almer
Christian Almer (29 March 1826 – 17 May 1898) was a
Swiss
Swiss most commonly refers to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
* Swiss people
Swiss may also refer to: Places
* Swiss, Missouri
* Swiss, North Carolina
* Swiss, West Virginia
* Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
* Swiss Café, an old café located ...
mountain guide and the
first ascensionist of many prominent
mountains
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...
in the western
Alps
The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.
...
during the
golden and
silver
Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...
ages of alpinism. Almer was born and died in
Grindelwald
Grindelwald is a village and Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli (administrative district), Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Bern (canton), Berne. In additio ...
,
Canton of Bern
The canton of Bern, or Berne (; ; ; ), is one of the Canton of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. Its capital city, Bern, is also the ''de facto'' capital of Switzerland. The bear is the heraldic symbol of the c ...
.
Life
During his lifetime, Christian Almer, like his contemporary
Melchior Anderegg from
Meiringen, was considered one of the best of the first generation of mountain guides. He guided his clients in the
Bernese Alps
The Bernese Alps are a mountain range of the Alps located in western Switzerland. Although the name suggests that they are located in the Berner Oberland region of the canton of Bern, portions of the Bernese Alps are in the adjacent cantons of Va ...
, the
Valais Alps, the
Mont Blanc massif and the
Dauphiné Alps. With his many
first ascents or first winter ascents, he made a name for himself as a first-class
alpinist of his time, guiding alpinists including
Edward Whymper,
W. A. B. Coolidge,
Adolphus Warburton Moore,
Leslie Stephen
Sir Leslie Stephen (28 November 1832 – 22 February 1904) was an English author, critic, historian, biographer, mountaineer, and an Ethical Culture, Ethical movement activist. He was also the father of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell and the ...
, and
Gottlieb Samuel Studer.
Christian Almer was married to Margaritha Kaufmann from 1846. His son
Ulrich Almer (8 May 1849 - 4 September 1940 in Grindelwald), with whom he went on many mountain trips together, also worked as a mountain guide.
Christian Almer spent the summers of his childhood and youth as a shepherd and goatherd. As early as the 1840s, he accompanied tourists on their first mountain climbs. His first guiding activity was a failed attempt to climb the
Jungfrau, which he tried to reach on 13 September 1851 from Grindelwald via the
Mönch. In 1854 he climbed all three
Wetterhörner within one year. Four years later, he and
Charles Barrington with
Peter Bohren were the first people to stand on the
Eiger
The Eiger () is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, overlooking Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland, just north of the main watershed and border with Valais. It is the easternmost peak of a ridge crest that extends ...
summit, which at that time was considered as unclimbable as the
Matterhorn
The , ; ; ; or ; ; . is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the Main chain of the Alps, main watershed and border between Italy and Switzerland. It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the Pennine Alps, ...
in the
Canton Valais.
After a winter ascent of the Jungfrau in early 1885, all of Almer's toes on his right foot had to be amputated. Nevertheless, he continued his guiding activities. In 1895, when he was almost 70 years old, he led a party over the
Bietschhorn. He celebrated his golden wedding anniversary with his wife, two sons, and a daughter on 22 June 1896 on the Wetterhorn. The following year he ended his alpine career by climbing the Wetterhorn, the summit with which he had so much in common. His strength left him suddenly and quickly. Almer died on 17 May 1898 in Grindelwald.
Climbing career
Almer gave his dog ''Tschingel'' to the 17-year-old
W. A. B. Coolidge after a failed attempt on the Eiger.
Golden wedding anniversary
On 20 and 21 June 1896 Almer and his wife Margaritha ("Gritli") celebrated their golden (50th) wedding anniversary by climbing the Wetterhorn:
First ascents
*1857
Mönch (
Bernese Alps
The Bernese Alps are a mountain range of the Alps located in western Switzerland. Although the name suggests that they are located in the Berner Oberland region of the canton of Bern, portions of the Bernese Alps are in the adjacent cantons of Va ...
)
*1858
Eiger
The Eiger () is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, overlooking Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland, just north of the main watershed and border with Valais. It is the easternmost peak of a ridge crest that extends ...
(
Bernese Alps
The Bernese Alps are a mountain range of the Alps located in western Switzerland. Although the name suggests that they are located in the Berner Oberland region of the canton of Bern, portions of the Bernese Alps are in the adjacent cantons of Va ...
)
*1862
Gross Fiescherhorn (
Bernese Alps
The Bernese Alps are a mountain range of the Alps located in western Switzerland. Although the name suggests that they are located in the Berner Oberland region of the canton of Bern, portions of the Bernese Alps are in the adjacent cantons of Va ...
)
*1864
Barre des Ecrins (
Dauphiné Alps)
*1865
Aiguille Verte (
Mont Blanc Massif)
*1865
Grand Cornier (
Pennine Alps)
*1865 Pointe Whymper on the
Grandes Jorasses
The Grandes Jorasses (; 4,208 m; 13,806 ft) is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif, on the boundary between Haute-Savoie in France and Aosta Valley in Italy.
The first ascent of the highest peak of the mountain (''Pointe Walker'') was by H ...
(
Mont Blanc Massif)
*1865
Nesthorn (
Bernese Alps
The Bernese Alps are a mountain range of the Alps located in western Switzerland. Although the name suggests that they are located in the Berner Oberland region of the canton of Bern, portions of the Bernese Alps are in the adjacent cantons of Va ...
)
*1867 Kleines Schreckhorn (
Bernese Alps
The Bernese Alps are a mountain range of the Alps located in western Switzerland. Although the name suggests that they are located in the Berner Oberland region of the canton of Bern, portions of the Bernese Alps are in the adjacent cantons of Va ...
)
*1870
Ailefroide (
Dauphiné Alps)
*1874 Mont Thuria, (
Graian Alps)
*1876
Les Droites west summit (
Mont Blanc Massif)
*1877 Pic Coolidge (
Dauphiné Alps)
*1878 Aiguille Arves Méridonale (
Dauphiné Alps)
*1878 Aiguille de l'Epaisseur (
Dauphiné Alps)
*1878
Les Bans (
Dauphiné Alps)
*1879
Aiguille de Chambeyron (
Cottian Alps)
*1881
Visolotto (
Cottian Alps)
*1884 Pointe de Soliette (
Graian Alps)
Death and Grave
Christian Almer died in Grindelwald on 17 May 1898. His gravestone reads:
Hier ruht der besten Führer einer
CHRISTIAN ALMER
geb. 29. März 1826. gest. 17. Mai 1898
Galt’s Berge zu bezwingen,
Gab’s keinen bessern Mann;
Wer mit dir stritt und siegte,
Dich nie vergessen kann.
Jetzt darfst du auf den Zinnen
Der ewige Berge stehn.
Wohin dich Christus führte.
Dort Freund auf Wiedersehn
Deine alten treuen Fahrgenossen.
Here rests one of the best guides
CHRISTIAN ALMER
born 25 March 1826, died 17 May 1898.
Were mountains to be conquered,
There wasn't a better man;
Whoever struggled with you and won,
Can never forget you.
Now you may stand on the summits
Of the eternal mountains.
Where Christ led you.
There friend goodbye.
Your old, loyal companions.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Almer, Christian
1826 births
1898 deaths
People from Interlaken-Oberhasli District
Alpine guides
Swiss mountain climbers
People from Grindelwald