Amelie brought me close to tears twice on this adventure. Some of you will know that she can be a stubborn and obstinate little thing from time to time – admirable qualities, in my view, if applied in the right way. Our job is to teach her how to use these characteristics to enable her success in life.
Catie had earned some free Zermatt passes for commentating on a trail race and the goal was to climb the Western Breithorn (easiest of all the 4,000m peaks) as a family via the lift system. We left the house at 6:00am and Amelie was being stubborn and obstinate and creating great tension in the car – the frustration that, what should have been such a great family adventure, was turning into a nightmare, brought me close to tears. Eventually the situation resolved itself and we found ourselves roped-up together, just the four of us, on the glacier.
Within moments of starting to cross the flat plateau, Tristan began to complain of nausea and dizziness and Catie said she was not feeling too great either, so we untied and the two of them headed back down (recovering almost immediately) and I was left with my stubborn and obstinate little 9 year old daughter at the foot of the Breithorn.
The first part is flat and easy and we completed that without a problem. Amelie needed the loo but as there were many others around she had stage fright and could not go and so we put on our crampons and shortened the rope.
We began the long, slow trudge up a well-trodden and not too steep route to the summit with me in front so I could protect a fall and pull her along if she got tired. With her first step she put a crampon through her trousers and fell, so she got up and started again, remembering to pretend she was wearing a nappy.
We had taken 10 steps when she said she was tired and wanted to go back. The air is thin and to arrive at this altitude so quickly via the lift also left me feeling breathless and so I said we should try another 10 paces and see how we felt and maybe have a gummy bear to keep our blood sugar levels up. 10 paces later and she felt able to continue so I challenged her to see if she could do 15 paces without a rest – she rose to this challenge. But then she wanted to stop and turn around again (we had gone about 30 metres) and so I suggested we get to the first zig-zag and see how she felt. We got to the zig-zag and she said she was tired. I asked if she thought she could maybe, do another five steps, and she thought she might and so we climbed another five steps.
Whilst this was going on, all the other climbers were coming past on their ascent or descent and they all asked her old she was, told her how brilliantly she was doing and congratulated her on being on the mountain. Each time a group came past, she got a little lift and we made another five steps.
We had now made some reasonable progress and I told her to look back at what she had already climbed – she was impressed with her progress – but wanted to go back down. I suggested if she had a pocket full of gummy bears, she could eat one whenever she wanted and this might help her keep her energy levels up and she agreed and we made another 20 steps but then she needed the loo.
This was not ideal as we were on the side of a fairly steep mountain and the harness meant it was not a straightforward task. I had to dig her a safe ledge to stand on with my ice axe and then carefully remove her harness over her rented (and therefore very sharp) crampons so she could assume a suitable position. I then had to stand in front to make sure she did not fall but avoid being peed on at the same time. Then I had to put her harness back on over the crampons – a little like trying to put a porcupine into a swimming costume.
With the call of nature answered we managed another 10 paces. By this stage we had actually made some good progress and the summit was in sight. I was getting tired as I was effectively pulling her up with the rope and she was now urging me to keep going and this is when I came close to tears for the second time that day. We continued further. She then needed the loo again, so I we had to repeat the complex process of peeing.
We reached the final zig-zag and I asked how she was feeling and she said she was tired and wanted to head down, I said “really, you want to give up now” and she said no, and we carried on for another 10 paces. We repeated this conversation about five times. We were now really close. We were now maybe 200m from the summit and she wanted to stop and go back. I said, “ok, lets head down then” and she refused to go down and insisted on continuing towards the summit. Every 10 paces she would ask to head back down, I would say ok let’s go and she would refuse and we would climb some more. We reached the summit and a 53 year old German man and his friend congratulated her and explained that this was his first 4,000m peak as well.
I was so proud of her and in a way, it was a blessing it was just the two of us. I am not sure she understands how she feels about what she had achieved. She is a complex little thing and did not come with user instructions and we don’t really know how she works – nor does she. We headed back and we made fast progress on the descent, but she was exhausted for the final walk back to the lift and there is a limit to how many gummy bears even a nine year old can eat.
It was actually the final walk to the lift where she showed true grit and determination. She was broken but only she could make her way off the glacier. She never complained, never stopped and despite being shattered, just pushed on.
Climbing the Breithorn, aged nine, is an impressive achievement for a young girl. Amelie’s future will, no doubt, throw up many challenges – many of which, at the moment, are of her own making. I hope she will learn to be able to draw on this experience to help her overcome the challenges that lie ahead.
Expeditions 