The Death of Edward Wimper

Wimper and the Taugualders made it back to Zermatt on July 15th, but Lord Francis Douglas was never found. The death of four climbers and a single accident challenged the rosy perception of mountain climbing. Queen Victoria considered issuing a ban on mountaineering altogether; her suggestion wound up sparking new interest in the sport. In the years since then, an estimated 500 people have lost their lives attempting to climb the Matterhorn.