Hans, Otto, Ted, and Alice, June 1964
It's kind of surprising how many people took photos of the Matterhorn mountain climbers over the years. Sometimes the mountaineers are hard to notice until you see their red shirts. I believe that an announcement was played over the PA system so that people knew where to direct their gaze. I have no idea if the climbers are at much risk, but whenever somebody is that high up, I suppose there's always a small chance that something could go wrong.
I also assume that the climbers started their ascent from partway up the mountain, does anybody know if there was a doorway or hatch where they would emerge? Or did they actually start from the ground? Seeing footage of them rappelling down from the peak always looked like the most fun.
19 comments:
Major-
How did you know the original working title for that film-? It's one of those Hollywood 'inside stories' so few know. It's hard to argue with shots like these for sheer beauty; not to mention it was right there in the middle of an orange grove-!
Thanks, Major.
Disneyland Mountain Climber Job Description:
Cool job in uncool costume
The mountain does look smaller with a human "bean" on it. All that's missing now is one of those crows you've mentioned before.
Major, these aren't sleepy pictures, today. Did you make a mistake??
Thanks, Major!
Sue
Nanook, few people also know, that the floor of the Matterhorn's basketball court "opened" with the push of a button. Underneath the court was a king-size bed.
"...there's always a small chance something could go wrong." A small chance? I mean, come on - the guys are wearing red shirts, for crying out loud!
I've got nothing witty to add, but I do love these pics. The sky is a nice deep blue which is something I miss these days. Thanks, Major.
Ya gotta love jobs at Disneyland. Where else could you climb a mountain, pilot a submarine, drive a stagecoach or sell balloons with ears on em. Heck, now I want a job too. Great stuff today Major, thanks.
Few people know that if you pull another lever, under the king sized bed there is a Minuteman missile. That climbing job was more dangerous than anyone imagined!
Nanook, I found a copy of the original screenplay’s draft at the Rose Bowl swap meet. I sold it for 100 billion dollars!
Lou and Sue, I dunno, I think lederhosen are (is?) cool! It’s true that having a person on the Matterhorn kind of ruins the illusion of its size, but the last few times I went to the park, crows had a tendency to land on it, and that was just as bad (if not worse). “Look at those giant crows!”. I didn’t make a mistake, these are still kind of sleepy! But maybe a little better than usual. Stay tuned for more Jungle Cruise photos.
TokyoMagic!, they put that bed there for Nikita Khrushchev, but he never made it to Disneyland. So they let Ernest Borgnine sleep there instead. (Yes, I had to look up how to spell “Khrushchev”).
Chuck, you make a good point!
K. Martinez, that sky is SO blue. I wonder if the photographer used a polarized filter? According to a friend of mine, that’s one way to help get nice blue skies.
Jonathan, they really should let guests climb the Matterhorn! What could go wrong? I’d probably get stuck with a crummy Disneyland job, such as managing crowds before and during a parade. No fun.
stu29573, what about the waterfalls that are full of electric eels and piranhas? Just like they have in Switzerland.
Major, I hear you, I can hear it now "Paging Major P. or Jonathan Code V at the Matterhorn!"
Sign me up for rappelling down the Disneyland Matterhorn! I always figured there was a submarine-type hatch at the top, the kind with the wheel on it? I heard a rumor that they hired jockeys from Santa Anita to be climbers on their off days.
I used to keep a "Skylight" filter on my camera but I don't think it ever did anything other then protect the real lens. That IS an amazing blue sky - but it's very possible to capture with the sun at one's back. Then again, it looks like it was simply amazing day - one that makes you think what the world needs now is love sweet love!
Polarized images - one more indication of media bias. ;-)
I always used a skylight filter too...sometimes WITH a polarizing filter. My skies were so blue they cried!
I’m surprised they don’t have a program to let guests climb for an upcharge.
I know this is off the subject, but does anyone know if something happened to Chris Jensen of OC Historical blog? He hasn’t posted anything new since July, and he hasn’t responded to my email. I hope he’s ok.
Jonathan, I hope a “Code V” is a scantily-clad showgirl!
Omnispace, the part where they rappel down the mountain looks like the most fun! Assuming that you aren’t bothered by heights. I believe that there IS a hatch at the top of the Matterhorn, it’s where Tinker Bell emerges for her flight down the wire during the fireworks. I think I’ve seen photos of it, but doubt I could find them right now. I agree with you about the sky looking extra blue depending on where you look - in fact I observed just that same thing yesterday when I took my mom for a walk at the local park. One direction, it’s all milky white. The opposite direction, intense blue.
Chuck, no, no! Don’t go there!
stu29573, I’ve actually never heard of a skylight filter, so… on to Wikipedia.
Melissa, don’t tempt them! They’ll do it, until the mother or father of a small child falls. :-(
Lou and Sue, I don’t know what’s going on with Chris, but I can email him and see if he responds.
Nanook, at one point, another working title for that film was, "Mel, Flo, Vera, and Alice."
Major, did Ethel Merman get to sleep in that bed, with Ernest Borgnine? You know, they were actually married.....for about 5 weeks. In fact, these pics could have been taken on the day they were married (June 27, 1964)!
The climbers were just one more touch of Disney’s attention to detail.
DaveLand had a very detailed post several years back with an interview with one of the climbers who donated personal pics.
These are fine pictures, Major, they remind me of the times I saw the climbers. Thank you very much for the post and the comments.
According to the drawings I’ve seen, the basketball (half) court is in the upper reaches of the Swiss mountain, above the former Skyway passage and all of the bobsled tracks. There is an elevator so Tinkerbelle doesn’t have to climb 20 stories to jump out.
At some point, not sure when, the cables and harness were revised so Tink could go back and forth, not just down. I believe part of this change was adding the door near the top of the peak so she can step off a platform. I could see the door opening pretty clearly during the fireworks show, but it fits tight and disappears into the texture of the wall when shut, like the Bat Cave.
I’ve never read where the climbers start from, nor how high the mountain really is.
I had several skylight filters, one for each of the various lenses. I was told they protected the lens coatings. That was a long time ago. Now, I’m just a phone camera photographer.
JG
As is the case almost everyday on GDB, I'm learning lots of new things, like the fact that Ernest Borgnine was married to Ethel Merman for a few days, and what Code V means, and more. Now I'm heading over to DaveLand to read what the climber said. Thanks, all!
Sue
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