In late September of 1985 I traveled from Paris to Zermatt via Les Diablerets, my autumn refuge away from the nightlife at Le Balajo. Amazing to see the Matterhorn towering over the scenic village. The higher alpine meadows flowing with edelweiss. The gasthaus were demi-filled with elderly hikers and Swiss reservists on their yearly training exercises. Dinner was trout accompanied by a few Feldschlösschen beers. I bought a map of the mountain at a gift shop and set out on a short walk in the cool evening air perfumed by log fires. The Matterhorn shone in the moonglow. I needed to get closer and upon my return to the hotel and asked the concierge, if the Hornlihutte at 3260 meters was possible in one day.

“Go to sleep. Take the first Schwarzsee Cable Car. For there it’s a two hour hike to the Hornlihutte. Not easy, but you look in good shape.”

“Danke fur der Beratung.” I had learned German in high school from Bruder Karl. The Bavarian chain smoker had failed me twice.

Tne next morning after a hardy Zmorge of buttered black bread with cheese and marmalade along with a strong Kaffi. After stopping to buy food, water, and chocolate for the hike I set out for the 8:30 tramway to Schwarzsee with tourists and hikers all geared out in better boots and backpacks than mine. I spoke with no one. The view of the mountains demanded all my attention. Swiss stone pine, larch, birch and willow filled the valley. These trees had survived countless winter storms. I had been reared in Maine with the White Mountains west of Portland Harbor. Mount Washington at 6,288 feet was visible ninety-four miles away from the Eastern Promenade. The Ice Age glacier had grounded thousands of feet in height from Agiochook.

The Alps had withstood the milleniae to dominate the sky. The Matterhorn dominated the chain with an awesome power over any flatlander or coaster Its sister mountains of Breithorn and Klein Matterhorn swarmed over the Zermatt Valley. The treeline gave way just before the arrival at Schwarzsee. As the tram approached its destination. I wished the ride had been at a slower pace. I deboarded at the station. The tourists snapped shots of the scenery and the hikers hauled on their daypacks and set off on the Hornliweg, distance 2.7 kilometers. I waited for a lull and began my hike. The alpine grass had been gnawed to the nub by goats. The Swiss have been pasturing in the Alps for thousands of years. Lonely Helvitians with the sheep and goat and cows. At this altitude the only sounds are cow beels, the wind, and my panting.
After a short flatish stretch the trail reached Kapelle Maria zum Schnee by the Schwartzsee. The lakeside church has been the pilgrimage destination since the 18th century. Several hundred meters on the path climbed a very steep slope. At this altitude I was huffing and huffing, stopping very few minutes to regain my breath. The majestic watershed between Italy and Switzerland represented the uplift of the African tectonic plate.

In 1974 I had driven over the Milner Pass of Continental Divide. Height 12,183 feet.

Higher than the Hornlihutte, but this was the highest I had been since then.

The grass petered out into the gneiss strewn plains. Oxygen had thinned out and I was gasping for breath, until a narrow trail traverse a fall of scree. I struggled for footing, slipping and dangerously tottering, finally stopped upon seeing an older woman tramping down the path in Heidi attire and Gucci loafers. The smiling septuagenarian wished a good way and continued on her way, as if she were on a hunt for edelweiss flowers.

I was completely knackered. My heart was pumping, as if I were a victim extra in ALIEN. I gathered my breath. Not for a final push to the Hornlihutte, but to gaze out of the Alps with respect. I might have berated myself, saying that if that old lady can get to the hut, then I had to tough it out. Thankfully I had learned long ago that success in life sometimes is achieved not so much by failure, but by understanding that giving up is not failure and proving I was better than an old woman in Gucci loafers was no success at all.

I might be lucky on the descent through the meadows and find an edelweiss flower. Always lucky that.