Christian Almer

Christian Almer (29 March 1826 – 17 May 1898) was a Swiss mountain guide and the first ascentionist of many prominent mountains in the western Alps during the golden and silver ages of alpinism.

Almer was born in Grindelwald, Canton of Bern, where he also died. In 1846 he married Margaritha Kaufmann, and their son Ulrich Almer (8 May 1849 – 4 September 1940) was a well-known guide in his own right.

Almer gave his dog Tschingel to the 17-year-old W. A. B. Coolidge after a failed attempt on the Eiger.

I do not clearly recollect hearing of Tschingel till July 11, 1868. That month Almer had for the first time become guide to my aunt, the late Miss Brevoort, and myself. On July 8 we all three made our first high climb together (the Wetterhorn) and on July 11 started from Little Scheidegg for the ascent of the Eiger. But the rocks (as often) were glazed, and we had to retreat. This disappointed me bitterly, for I was not quite eighteen years of age [...] Almer sympathised much with me, and so, as we were walking down that afternoon to Grindelwald, tried to comfort me by promising to give me his dog Tschingel, as one of her sons, Bello by name, was now able to act as watchdog ...

He died at Grindelwald in 1898.

First ascents

• 1857 Mönch (Bernese Alps)
• 1858 Eiger (Bernese Alps)
• 1862 Gross Fiescherhorn (Bernese Alps)
• 1864 Barre des Ecrins (Dauphiné Alps)
• 1865 Aiguille Verte (Mont Blanc Massif)
• 1865 Grand Cornier (Pennine Alps)
• 1865 Pointe Whymper on the Grandes Jorasses (Mont Blanc Massif)
• 1865 Nesthorn (Bernese Alps)
• 1867 Kleines Schreckhorn (Bernese Alps)
• 1870 Ailefroide (Dauphiné Alps)
• 1874 Mont Thuria, (Graian Alps)
• 1876 Les Droites west summit (Mont Blanc Massif)
• 1877 Pic Coolidge (Dauphiné Alps)
• 1878 Aiguille Arves Méridonale (Dauphiné Alps)
• 1878 Aiguille de l'Epaisseur (Dauphiné Alps)
• 1878 Les Bans (Dauphiné Alps)
• 1879 Aiguille de Chambeyron (Cottian Alps)
• 1881 Visolotto (Cottian Alps)
• 1884 Pointe de Soliette (Graian Alps)