Swiss alpinist Dani Arnold has set a record time on the north face of the Grandes Jorasses. He climbed the Walker Spur (4,208 metres, 13,806 feet) on the Mont Blanc massif on the Cassin route in 2 hours and 4 minutes.
With the speed record on the north face of the Grandes Jorasses and the fastest time on the north face of the Matterhorn, the 34-year-old from canton Uri, central Switzerland, now holds records on two out of the three great north faces in the Alps.
“I’m feeling unbelievably happy and very proud of my achievement,” ArnoldExternal link, a Mammut Pro Team athlete, said after the climb on July 27. The feat was reported on Monday.
For the third summer in a row, he focused on the Grand Jorasses north face project. In 2016 and 2017, weather conditions made any attempt impossible.
“Looking back, waiting such a long time for the right moment really paid off. Despite the fact that this was quite a struggle for me – as patience certainly isn’t my strongest skill. However, everything needs to be right: little details, such as whether I should climb two metres more to the right or to the left, sound ridiculous when you’re talking about a 1,200-metre face, but in the end, these details make the difference.”
External Content
Popular Stories
More
Aging society
No house generation: the impossibility of buying property in Switzerland
This content was published on
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will not be flying to Tel Aviv up to and including June 8 due to the current situation in the Middle East.
Italy and Switzerland agree on taxation of cross-border workers
This content was published on
The Italian government has approved the agreement with Switzerland on the taxation of so-called teleworking by cross-border commuters.
Nestlé water scandal: French state accused of cover-up
This content was published on
In the scandal surrounding the illegal treatment of mineral water in France, there was reportedly a cover-up of unauthorised practices by Swiss food giant Nestlé.
Air fleet of Swiss administration deemed too large
This content was published on
In the view of the Swiss Federal Audit Office, the size of the fleet should be reduced or the aircraft leased to improve cost-effectiveness.
MSC Cruises places CHF3 billion order for two more sea giants
This content was published on
Italo-Swiss company MSC Crociere has confirmed an order to the Saint-Nazaire Atlantic Shipyards for two ships worth around €3.5 billion.
Situation calm overnight above Swiss village facing avalanche
This content was published on
The situation in the Valais village of Blatten VS, which was threatened by a landslide, remained calm on Tuesday night. The anxiety continues, especially for the 300 evacuated residents.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Alps once again shoulder the image of Switzerland abroad
This content was published on
Switzerland’s mountains, long the emblems of its image abroad, were once again the central focus of international attention in 2017.
This content was published on
Arnold’s record-setting climb was completed on April 22 – made public on Thursday – and beat the existing record by fellow Swiss Ueli Steck by ten minutes, according to Arnold’s sponsor Mammut. “I didn’t feel well at all initially,” Arnold said after the climb, in a press release. “I almost felt sick and thought about…
This content was published on
Arnold tells swissinfo.ch how he set out on April 20 with just half a litre of sugar-water and no real intention of breaking the speed record up a route that in 1938 took three days for the first climbers to complete (and survive). The 27-year-old mountain guide from canton Uri in central Switzerland climbed the…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.