Golden age of alpinism

[2][3][4] With its beginning slightly predating the formation of the Alpine Club in London in 1857, the golden age was dominated by British alpinists and their Swiss and French guides.

Prominent figures of the period include Lord Francis Douglas, Paul Grohmann, Florence Crauford Grove, Charles Hudson, E. S. Kennedy, William Mathews, A. W. Moore, John Ball, Leslie Stephen, Francis Fox Tuckett, John Tyndall, Horace Walker and Edward Whymper.

Well-known guides of the era include Christian Almer, Jakob Anderegg, Melchior Anderegg, Johann Joseph Bennen (fr), Peter Bohren, Jean-Antoine Carrel, Michel Croz, Ulrich Kaufmann and Johannes Zumtaugwald.

In the early years of the "golden age", scientific pursuits were intermixed with the sport.

Among the non-scientist mountaineers, the literary critic Leslie Stephen was the most prominent.

The First Ascent of the Matterhorn , by Gustave Doré . This ascent, by Edward Whymper and party in 1865, traditionally marks the end of the golden age of alpinism.