The project named “Starlight and Storm” of Tom Ballard aims to climb the six great North Faces of the Alps in winter, alone and in just one season.

After less than 3 hours Tom was able to reach the top of the Matterhorn; the third of the six in program. Therefore, after the Comici – Dimai climb up Cima Grande di Lavaredo and the Cassin route up the NE Face of Pizzo Badile, Ballard has now climbed the North Face of the Matterhorn via the Schmidt route. A line first climbed by the Bavarians Toni and Franz Schmidt in 1931 and repeated by Ballard, alone and in winter, in just 2 hours 59 minutes.

Now that also Matterhorn is checked Tom are ready for the others half peak of his project: Grandes Jorasses, Petit Dru and Eiger.

Good luck Tom!

Here is the interview

Thanks to planetmountain.com for text and pictures