Science Hill graduate summits Switzerland's Matterhorn

Science Hill graduate Christian Nutter summited the Matterhorn in Switzerland, a deadly journey that took him 14,692 feet into the sky. "I proved a lot to myself," Nutter said. "It was overall a good experience, and it made me realize that if you put your mind to something, you can do anything." Nutter woke up at 3:30 a.m. and began the ascent in complete darkness, assisted by local mountain guides. The early start wasn't simply about reaching the summit; it was about getting back down before afternoon conditions made the mountain even more dangerous, with an increased risk of rockfall and avalanches. The most difficult part for Nutter came about three-quarters of the way up, at the 4,000-meter mark. "When you get to that level, especially somebody not living at 4,000 meters, the lack of oxygen and the altitude really starts to get to you," he said. "That last final stretch to the top was hard, but then you have to climb all the way back down after, which kind of piled on top of that." Climbing the Matterhorn is a significant feat, as the mountain has claimed more lives than Mount Everest. More than 500 people have lost their lives attempting to climb it since the first ascent in 1865. "I knew the risk of climbing the mountain because it's killed," Nutter said. "But just actually being up there and walking on ledges that are like a foot wide and there's a 1,000 foot drop on each side — those were really surprising. I had amazing guides, so I really never felt unsafe." Adding to the peril, the recent heat wave in Europe has caused parts of the mountain to collapse. "The ice kind of acts as a glue for the rocks, and since the heat has melted all the ice, the rocks are really loose," he said. "There've been some serious and major avalanches, and there've been people who died on the Matterhorn already this year." Nutter had firsthand experience with the melted ice during his summit. "We'd be walking and you would go to grab a rock to pull yourself up, and it would just completely fall off," he said. "You would have to yell to everyone down below to basically take cover. My guides definitely saved me a couple times as far as almost falling off because of rocks." The climb was Nutter's first 4,000-meter peak summit, with a trip to Switzerland last year inspiring his conquest. "It's really hard to judge the scale of actually how big it is," Nutter said. "I had been to Zermatt a year before, and I had seen the Matterhorn. Ever since I saw it, I knew I had to go back and climb the mountain." Nutter said he has been an avid climber for most of his life. "I've been climbing for as long as I could walk, but I've been seriously into rock climbing for about a year now," he said. "Just seeing the mountain made me want to be more adventurous." Preparation for the trip took about six to eight months, Nutter said. "I've been definitely stepping up my rock climbing and doing a bunch of hikes, especially around Johnson City," he said. "I hiked Buffalo Mountain probably a thousand times with my mountaineering boots on to prepare. I also did a lot of the StairMaster, or just walking on a treadmill for hours. Also wearing a mask that prevents oxygen from getting into my lungs. That helped me prepare for the altitude." Aside from physical preparation, Nutter said being mentally prepared is equally, if not more, important. "I would say it is 90% mental," he said. "If you aren't mentally prepared to put in the work to get there and if you aren't mentally prepared the day of, you're definitely not gonna do it." Nutter is going into his sophomore year at the University of Tennessee, majoring in supply chain management with a minor in international business. "The reason why I went to the Matterhorn originally is because I already had a flight over here because I'm studying abroad in Florence, which is actually where I am right now." Classes start in September, so Nutter said he switched the flight a little bit earlier so he could climb the Matterhorn. "Now I'm just traveling around for a couple weeks until my classes start," he said, adding that he plans to visit Bologna and Slovakia soon after a morning in Milan and an evening in Florence, Italy. Nutter said he is proud to represent his community on top of the peak and throughout his travels. "I hope that people see that and associate me with Tennessee," he said. "I have a lot of Johnson City postcards that I've been handing out to people along my travels, and it's a lot of fun to represent my hometown." Nutter added that he hopes everyone has the opportunity to experience something similar or achieve something beyond their dreams. "It gives you a better outlook on life," he said. "It makes you feel closer to God. I think everyone should take that into account, and hopefully, try to get up to the top of a mountain one day."