Community News and videos On Meru With Mathieu Maynadier

On Meru With Mathieu Maynadier

Petzl climber and mountaineer, Mathieu Maynadier, recounts his summit of the famed Himalayan summit of Meru. With the first ascent of Goldfish (800m, M6+, A1), he's just ticked a new, standout route in his career. Here's a look at how his solid team, including Roger Schaeli and Simon Gietl, made a successful ascent.

November 8 2023

Feet On the Ground, Mind in the Mountains

“In the mountains, it's important to enjoy yourself and not complicate things too much. Often, keeping this mindset allows us to reach the peak of our performance and be more efficient. For me, it's really important not to get tunnel vision when it comes to my objectives.

I go on expeditions because I love the feeling of being up there. It’s the combination of everything that pushes me to continue. There's a whole thought process that goes into imagining a project, gathering information. Then there’s the adventurous side of things — the surprises, of course the travel, meeting people, and breaking away from the routine of everyday life for a few months. All of these things motivate me."

What he remembers about Meru: incredible lengths and a crack team

"The ascension of Meru was a particular one in the sense that there were very few objective dangers. We had a blast climbing pitches that were very technical, but not necessarily dangerous. They were the most beautiful lines I've done on an expedition!

On expeditions, mental fortitude is often the key to success. You have to endure a lot of discomfort, waiting around, and sometimes the conditions are extreme. So it's super important to choose the right team. What I remember about Meru is that we were all on the same wavelength. It's really important to have the same values and expectations; it makes things a lot simpler. We had a lot of respect for one another — no competition, no ego. It's also for these reasons that this expedition was successful, and we're already thinking about future projects together!"

A Complicated Ascent to the Base of the Wall

With volatile weather and a lot of snowfall during the first part of the expedition, the trio had to be extra attentive to high avalanche risk as they meandered through a “maze of crevasses”.

With mild weather on the first day, the three alpinists left basecamp and headed directly to camp 2. Mathieu had fallen sick and struggled through the day — the first major challenge he faced. Fortunately, he recovered quickly and was able to set off alongside his climbing partners the following day. "It's unlucky that I got sick the day before we left, but it happens. That's part of the risk, and that's when mental fortitude is crucial."

A Long Day and A 20-hour Ascent

After a 3am start, the team was on the move until long after nightfall. Around 11pm, with headlamps lighting the way, they found a cornice with a spectacular pile of snow to pitch their two-person tent at the foot of the final crux.

Home Stretch to the Summit

After a relatively short night and bone-chilling temperatures, Mathieu, Simon, and Roger got moving again, unsure which path would lead them to the arete. They ended up finding a tunnel of ice that proved to be "one of the most unique pitches" they could have ever imagined. Three incredible pitches later and they finally reached the summit arete and continued through a glacial wind, climbing the last 200 meters to the summit.

Finally, they returned to base camp in late afternoon after a long and gorgeous descent. A beautiful line on the south face: Goldfish (800 m, M6+, A1). "A big thank you to everyone who made this possible."

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