Japan Alpinist Skis Down the Matterhorn

ZERMATT, Switzerland —  Japanese alpinist Yoshimasa Wada Friday descended the Matterhorn on skis, and local residents said he was the first to achieve the exploit from the summit of the 14,688-foot peak.

A helicopter dropped Wada, a 31-year-old professional skier from Sapporo, on the mountaintop and he skied about 984 feet down the sheer north face supported by ropes secured by two Swiss mountain guides.

At the Solvay hut refuge, Wada discarded the ropes and weaved and slid in wide turns down the mountain’s east face to another refuge, the Hoernli hut, at the base about 3,600 feet below the summit. Witnesses said that he paused several times and that the descent took him about 4 1/2 hours.

A French mountaineer and an Italian in separate exploits in previous years had made the descent from the Solvay hut on skis, but not from the peak, Zermatt residents said. Two Americans died in falls in similar attempts 10 years ago.