Filip Babicz races up and down the 4 Matterhorn ridges in under 8 hours

"I did it again… I managed to surpass even my own imagination!" These were the words of Filip Babicz, written in three different languages, just to make sure that the message was clear: last Sunday the Polish-Italian alpinist succeeded in the incredible feat of linking the four ridges of the Matterhorn in just 7 hours, 43 minutes and 45 seconds.

Babicz started from the historic base on the Italian side of Cervino, namely the Oriondé hut at 2802 meters. After reaching the Furggen Ridge, he climbed this via the Diretta degli Strapiombi overhangs in just 1 hour and 38 minutes. On reaching the summit at 4478 meters, he raced down the Hörnli Ridge in just 40 minutes, via the normal Swiss route to the base just above the Hörnli Hütte located at 3260 meters on the Zermatt side of the mountain.

From here Babicz continued along the difficult and dangerous - due to rockfall - route at the foot of the North Face of the Matterhorn. He reached the base of the Zmutt Ridge at about 3,410 meters, and followed this to the summit in 2 hours and 18 minutes. The second descent took him down the Lion’s Ridge, via the normal Italian route. From the Swiss summit, at 4,478 meters, to Colle del Leone, at 3,579 meters, Babicz needed only 37 minutes. From there, on increasingly easier terrain, he returned to the starting point, the Rifugio Duca degli Abruzzi at Oriondè.

The extraordinary enchainment of the four Matterhorn ridges has already been carried out in the past, even solo and in winter, but never this quick. Having said this, it is important to underline that it is impossible to compare one ascent to another, given the fact that conditions change constantly in the mountains.

In any case, Babicz underlined how "ethics and impeccable style" were central to his double link-up. No external support, nor gear stashes deposits on the mountain: the only gear change and food intake took place at the foot of the mountain, between the first and second ascent.

"Climbing 4 ridges of Cervino/Matterhorn is a project inspired by the pyramidal shape and aesthetic of the mountain, that's why in the project, the first principle was that the track should emphasize it. So, no shortcuts, the same point of the start/finish to close this big 8 shaped track. The pure perfection of the form" explained Babicz at the end of the feat.

Babicz has made a huge name for himself in the past for ascents at extraordinary speed. Standout ascents include Grand Capucin in just 49 minutes in 2022, the North Ridge of Pizzo Badile in 43 minutes in 2021 and the Peuterey Integralissima on Mont Blanc in 17 hours in 2020.