Whymper, Edward (1840-1911), was an English mountaineer, engraver, and author. Whymper was the first man to climb the Matterhorn in Switzerland. In 1865, at his fourth attempt, he beat an Italian party to the summit. However, four members of his party were killed during the expedition. He wrote a best-selling book about the experience, Scrambles Amongst the Alps, which was first published in 1871 and went through several editions. The accident ended Whymper’s climbing career, but he later visited the Alps, the Andes, and the Canadian Rockies, and made hundreds of sketches.
Whymper was born on April 27, 1840, in London. He worked as a wood engraver during the late 1800’s, and illustrated many of his books with his own engravings. His writings included several guidebooks to the Alps. He invented a special tent for mountaineers. Whymper died on Sept. 16, 1911.
