Wilson C.M.,

(Bearbeiten)

Biografie:
geboren bei Liverpool (Großbritannien)

1890 1.Beg.La Nonne-Südgrat,IV+,3340m, (Montblancgebiet)
1892 1.führerlose Beg.Aiguille Grepon-Südsüdwestgrat „C.-P.-Route“,IV+,100 HM,3482m, (Montblancgebiet)
1893 1.Beg.Aiguille d'Argentière-Ostsüdostgrat,III,50°,350 HM,3902m, (Montblancgebiet)
1898 1.Überschr.Aiguille Petits Charmoz über Südostgrat,IV,170 HM,2867m, (Montblancgebiet)
1898 1.Beg.Aletschhorn vom Mittelaletschjoch über Westnordwestgrat,4195m, (Berner Alpen)
1902 1.Beg.Wetterhorn-Südwestgrat unterhalb der Sichel,3701m, (Berner Alpen)
1904 1.Beg.Aiguille de Triolet-Südostgrat,III,500 HM,3870m, (Montblancgebiet)
1907 1.Best.Großes Schreckhorn-Südwestgrat "Normalweg",4078 m, (Berner Alpen)
G.Schauer

Quelle: Adolfo Hess -Saggi sulla psicologia dell'alpinista, Seite 115 ff (siehe Anhang)

CLAUDE WILSON
1860-1937

The death of Claude Wilson within a few weeks of attaining his seventy-seventh birthday came as a terrible shock to his many friends. Few of us even knew that he was ill, but in the manner of his passing none can regret that there was no lingering illness. We can but quote his own words in Lord Conway's obituary: 'the best we can wish for those that we love is that they may be spared prolonged and hopeless ill health.' His brain remained clear up to the last twenty-four hours and he suffered no pain. The end occurred on October 31.
With Claude Wilson's death an epoch of mountaineering comes to an end. He was of those who made guideless and Alpine history from Montenvers in the early 'nineties, of whom but Collie, Kesteven, Bradby, Solly and Charles Pasteur still survive. That school, in which Mummery and Morse were perhaps the most prominent examples, was not composed of specialists. Its members had learnt their craft under the best Valais and Oberland guides; they were equally-proficient on rocks or on snow. It mattered little who was acting as leader in the ascent or last man in the descent. They were prepared to turn back if conditions or weather proved unfavourable. They took chances as all mountaineers are forced to do at timesbut no fatal accidents, no unfortunate incidents, marred that great page of Alpine history, a page not confined to Mont Blanc alone but distributed throughout the Western Alps.
Claude Wilson was born on December 7, 186o, near Liverpool. His brothers Francis and Herbert Wilson, long deceased, were prominent members of the Club, to vhich Claude was elected in February 1880. He served on the Committee 1897-9, as Vice-President 1922-4, and was elected President in 1929. He was a membre d'honneur of the C.A.F., and an ordinary member of the S.A.C. and D.u.O.A.-V. On many occasions he served as an extra member of the A.C. Committee.
With the exception of Freshfield and Coolidge there is probably no past or present member of the Club who has contributed so much to the ALPINE Journal. Claude read his first paper ' Climbing in Norway' on June 1, 1886. His last was read on April 6, 1937, ' Climbing in the -'Sixties and 'Seventies.' Many of these are of extreme value, notably ' Corno Bianco,' ' Dent d'Herens,' 'Bregaglia Group,' 'Minor Rock Climbs from Courmayeur,' 'Col de Ia Brenva,' Brenva Face of Mont Blanc.' All are charming as well as wittily written. His notes and reviews are innumerable ; moreover he has contributed many In Memoriams of his friends, included in which obituaries are to be found Percy Thomas, R. L. Harrison, Wicks, Adrian Wilson, W. A. Wills, Ellis Carr, George Morse, H . F. Montagnier, Conway and Mothersill the last two in the November 1937 number of the Journal. In these said obituaries, perhaps the most thankless and trying tasks that fall to author or editor alike, he was able to render a tribute free from exaggeration, outspoken, and yet imbued with the innate delicacy of mind and feeling so characteristic of our friend.
A word concerning the guides who accompanied Claude in his early and later Alpine days would certainly not come amiss. We find among these, the brothers Alexander, Franz and Alois Burgener, the latter's son and grandson, Siegfried and Sigismund of Eisten, Emile and Henri Rey of Courmayeur, Alfred and Francois Simond of Chamonix, Ulrich and Christian Almer III, Christian Kaufmann of Grindelwald ; last and not least Christian Klucker of Sils. Of the latter I would quote Claude Wilson's own words from the privately printed Epitome of Fifty Years' Climbing (1933), 'I have no hesitation in placing Christian Klucker as the best guide I have ever been with the perfect mountaineer, the perfect guide one of nature's gentlemen.' But of the entire list of 3 6o great expeditions accomplished by Claude Wilson, 238 were made without guides. Selecting the principal ones only, we publish his list from 1877 :
1877 Wetterhorn, etc.
1878 Laquinhorn, Monte Rosa, Finsteraarhorn, Trugberg.
1879 Eiger, Schreckhorn, Matterhorn, Ober Gabelhorn, Zinal Rothorn, Weisshorn.
1880 Grand Combin, traverse from and to Bourg St. Pierre (1), Grandes Jorasses.
1881 N. America : M t. Washington,. etc.
1882 Weissmies S. face, first ascent. Dent Blanche. Search party for victims of Gabbett-Lochmatter
disaster. Dom from and to Randa. Wellenkuppe.
1883 Aiguilles de Blaitiere, Tacul, Moine, Tsa, Zinal Rothorn.
1884 Lauterbrunnen Breithorn, Bliimlisalphorn, Rimpfischhorn, climbs from 'Eagle's Nest,' Sixt.
1885 Norway: Several first ascents. See A.J. 13. 144-60.
1886-7 Climbs in Scotland, Cumberland and Wales.
1888 Monte Rosa, Trifthorn from and to Zermatt in 10 hours.
1889 Grands Charmoz traverse, first by guideless party.
1890. Aiguille du Moine, new route. La Nonne, new route. Grand Dru from Montenvers. First attempt on
Dent du Requin ('Pic C. W.,' or 'Peak round the Corner').
1891 Les Periades, further attempt on Dent du Requin.
1892 Pte. Lemercier, new route. Pic Bourcet, La Meije, S.Aiguille d' Arves, Aiguille de Grepon, attempt
from ' C.P.' Aiguille de Grepon from ' C.P.', first guideless ascent.
1893 E. Levanna, Cima di Breuil, Gran Paradiso, Grivola, Aiguille -Noire de Peteret, Dent du Requin, attempt by Cheminee Fontaine (July 25, the day after Mummery's successful ascent). Aiguille d' Argentiere, new route. Another attempt on Dent du Requin, Aiguille de Grepon, first guideless S.-N. traverse (Montenvers dep. 03.00, summit 09.30, N. peak 12.40, Montenvers arr. 17.50).
1894 Corno Bianco, twice, new routes, A.J. 17. 475-92. Lyskamm, Chateau des Dames, Punta des Cors, Tour de Cretan, Dent d'Herens, traverse Breuil-Praraye. Matterhorn from Breuil, Becca di Guin, Aiguille des Glaciers.
1895 Croda da Lago, Kl. Zinne, Pala diS. Martino, Cimone della Pala, Sass Maor-Cima della Madonna, all guideless. Piz Roseg, Piz Bernina via ' Scharte.
1896 Monte Viso, S. Aiguille d' Arves, A.J. 40. 12 sqq. Aiguille de Ia Grande Sassiere, Petits Charmoz, new route. Petit Dru, Dent du Requin, new route, A.J. 39· 109-10 .
1897 Levanna, Central peak, Colle Perduto, Ciarforon, new route from Ceresole, Tour de Creton, Jumeaux de Valtournanche, new route, A.J. 20. 186-7.
1898 Gr. Aletschhorn, new route, A. J. 19. 251. Wellhorn, Renfenjoch, Unter Wellborn, Schreckhorner (Gr. and Kl.), Jungfraujoch-Monchjoch; Wengern Alp-Grindelwald.
1899 Pointe de Balme Rousse, Crete de Vera Pervoz, S. and Central peaks, first ascent, A.J. 19 596. Breche d' Alvau, Roche Faurio.
1900 Petites Dents de Veisivi, Aiguilles Rouges d' Arolla, Aiguille de la Tsa (two traverses), Douves ·Blanches, Mt. Collon, Dents des Bouquetins, Dent Blanche, Bietschhorn traverse, Ried dep. oo.oo,
top 10.30, Ried arr. 19.10. Tellispitze, Petersgrat.
1901. La Cuccagna, Levanna E. peak, Grivola, Rutor, Aiguille de Ia Brenva, new route. Aiguille du Geant, Courmayeur dep. 23.45, summit 10:00, Courmayeur arr. 17.10.
1902. Strahlegg, Lauteraarjoch, Eiger, Wetterhorn, Schreckhorn traverse, Jungfrau from Rottal and attempt on unclimbed N.E. arete, Schreckhorn, first by S.W. arete from and to Grindelwald (A.J.
21. 269, 500-3) Schmadrijoch. .
1903. Monte Rosa, etc. Brei thorn N. face, Matterhorn from Riffelalp.
1904. Aiguille de Trio let, new route. Col des Hirondelles, Col de Miage, Courmayeur-St. Gervais. Aiguille de Talefre, new route. Aiguille de Blaitiere, Mont Blanc from Col du Midi, Aiguille de la Brenva, first N-S. traverse ; explored Pere Eternel. Col de la Brenva, Courmayeur dep. 20.20, Col 20.10, Grands Mulets arr. 22.30 (1) AJ 26. 264-83.
1905. Grande Casse, Mt. Pourri, Bee de l'Invergnan, Aiguille du Geant, Mont Rouge du B.rouillard, Aiguille de Tronchey, Mont Rouge de Peteret, first ascent. Tour Ronde, traverse, Courmayeur dep.
02.30, summit 15.40 (with 2 hrs. on Col du Geant), Courmayeur arr. 23.00.
1906. Aiguilles du Tour, des Grands Charmoz, Mont Blanc from Tete Rousse, Aiguille du Chardonnet, Tour Noir, Aiguilles Verte and du Petit Dru (attempts, bad conditions).
1907. Many passes in W. Lepontines. Cima di Jazzi from Macugnaga to Zermatt. M. dep. oi.Io, summit 16.30, Z. arr. 21.45·(Terrible blizzard ; Bradby and C. W. arrived at Zermatt still covered with ice!). Portjengrat, Lenzspitze-Nadelhorn, Portjengrat, secondbtraverse.
1908. Piz Bacone, Sciora di Fuori, Cima del Largo, etc., see in general A.J. 24. 381 sqq.
1909. Passo di Mello, Monte Disgrazia, Piz Badile, etc.
1910 Aiguille Rouge de Rochefort, new route. Tour de Jetoula, Monte Gruetta, Mt. Rouge de Gruetta, etc., see A.J. 25. 495 sqq.
1911 Wetterhorn, Winter ascent. Vertainspitze, Ortler, twice. Hohe Angelus; Konigsspitze, Zebru, Schrotterhorn-Kreilspitze, Konigsspitze-Zebru, Western Ferro, Ago di Sciora, Cima di Zocca, traverse, etc.
1912 Passes in western Pennines, Mont Pleureur, Grand Combin, Wellenkuppe, Kienhorn, Trifthorn.
1913. Pizzo Ligoncio, Torrione del Ferro, attempt. (2) Fiorelli, traverse. Merdarola points, Cima del Calvo, La Passo di Bondo, Cima Codera after one attempt, Ago di attempt from Ago Glacier. Dente del Lupo.
Punta Sfinge, Sciora,
1914. Mettenberg, new route. Eiger-Rotstock, new route. A.J. 29. 358. Gwachten, Mönch N. face.
1920. Aiguille des Grands Montets, several Aiguilles Rouges de Chamonix, Petits Charmoz, Les Periades, Aiguille du Chardonnet, several more Aiguilles Rouges.
1921 Gwachtenjoch, Wetterhorn, etc .


(1) July 28-29. With J. H. Wicks and E. H. F. Brad by. In the ice conditions prevailing, C. W. always considered this expedition to be his greatest.
(2) My first expedition with C. W., July 5, a very curious day: the party, C. W., Wicks and I with a young Valaisan porter, a man of superb physique, great climbing powers and absolutely no sense of direction, started very early from Masino-Bagni in Wicks' car. Proceeding in inky darkness from S. Martino, we ascended Val Ferro mostly by a precipitous but dry waterfall. Having accomplished nine-tenths of the glen, Wicks suffering from an attack of mountain sickness, fell out. The remainder attempted Torrione by a very steep and blind rock gully in the S. face. Half-way up the gully was choked by enormous ice stalactites, and a heavy fall of same occurred. As such continued, party fled incontinently, C. W. and I with our rucksacks over our heads. The porter however preferred, on a fall of ice occurring, to bend
double, presenting his stem to the attack. The latter proved shell-proof, enormous blocks of ice ricochetted off it without the slightest apparent effect, both C. W. and I being hit by the splinters also without damage. On attaining the base, we bore W. and then N. in appalling heat, and eventually
reached the Passo del Ferro. Wicks could be seen (and heard) sheltering under a boulder far below. C. W. glissaded down in a few minutes and rejoined Wicks. The porter and I continued over the W. Ferro peak to Passo di Bon do and down Val Porcellizzo, the two detachments eventually reaching Masino-Bagni at exactly the same moment, that evening.
(3) C. W. was turned back on this peak owing to weather on at least six different occasions. The same occurred in 1937, his last season.


Quelle: Alpine Journal 1938, Seite 115 ff

Geboren am:
07.12.1860
Gestorben am:
31.10.1937
Wilson_Claude_-_Hess_Sulla.pdf