Benjamin Vedrines has wrapped up another non-stop alpine endeavor. Vedrines climbed the legendary North Faces of the Grandes Jorasses-Matterhorn-Eiger trilogy in a week, without motorized travel between the peaks.
Vedrines partnered with long-time friend Leo Billon for each climb but traveled from peak to peak on his own, mostly by bicycle. Billon decided to drive between peaks because he is currently focused on a strength-based training program for climbing, and a long-distance endurance effort did not fit his plans.
Last-minute plan
Vedrines had considered the project for some time, but the decision to go was made in a day.
Between April 6 and April 11, Vedrines skied, paraglided, ran, and cycled between the Bernese Oberland and Zermatt regions of Switzerland and the Chamonix Valley in France.
Benjamin Vedrines on the Grandes Jorasses. Photo: Benjamin Vedrines/Instagram
On the peaks, they climbed three iconic routes: The Heckmair on Eiger, the Schmid on Matterhorn, and the Colton-McIntyre on the Grandes Jorasses. Vedrines says they climbed at a “relaxed pace, without pressure.”
Their “relaxed” pace was rapid. It took 4 hours and 10 minutes for the pair to complete the Heckmair route (which took Anderl Heckmair and his team three days to open in 1938). The Matterhorn took 5 hours and 40 minutes, and the Grandes Jorasses 4 hours and 20 minutes.
“The bonds of the rope team are powerful, and this project proved that once again,” Vedrines said.
A dizzying schedule
They started on April 6 from Grindelwald town. The following day, Vedrines skied up the Eigergletscher to the North Face of the Eiger, climbed the face with Billon, and then paraglided from the summit with his skis on. He landed on the Aletsch Glacier.
On April 8, he combined trekking and cycling from Fiesch to Zermatt, eventually arriving at the classic starting point for Matterhorn climbs, the Hörnli Hut. With Billon, he climbed the peak on April 9.
From the Matterhorn, Verdrines skied down to town and cycled to Visp. The same day he cycled into France’s Chamonix Valley. The following day, he climbed the Grandes Jorasses and paraglided back to Chamonix.
About to paraglide from the summit of the Grandes Jorasses. Photo: Benjamin Vedrines
Ethical expeditions
Vedrines’ trip featured strict criteria for self-sufficiency, environmental awareness, and multi-disciplinary skill, in the vein of Kilian Jornet’s complete traverse of the Alps’ 4,000’ers or similar activities by Vedrines himself, either alone or with Billon.
Last year, Vedrines climbed K2 in 11 hours, without supplementary oxygen or support. He paraglided from the summit and then walked back to Camp 2 to retrieve his tent. Last autumn, he attempted the north face of Jannu East.
