The Forgotten Peaks: Anastasia Bouzdine's Challenge
Anastasia Bouzdine, a mountain enthusiast, has taken on a one-of-a-kind challenge: to climb or ski all the peaks between 3900 and 3999 meters, known as "the forgotten 4000s." This project, both technical and poetic, aims to document these lesser-known peaks, which offer stunning landscapes and challenges that rival the toughest mountains. By shining a light on these hidden gems, Anastasia hopes to inspire mountain lovers to explore a more authentic approach, away from the frenzy of the most popular summits. We also aim to eventually add these peaks to Whympr, so our community can discover and experience them to the fullest. We're excited to support this initiative, which combines exploration with mountain conservation. Here's Anastasia's interview.
Can you introduce yourself in a few words?
My name is Anastasia, I’m 28 years old, and I’ve been living in the heart of the Swiss Alps for several years now. Although I grew up far from the mountains, I’ve always been fascinated by them, whether skiing, climbing, or trekking along their sharp ridges with my ice axe and crampons.
With an engineering background, I now work as a technical project manager in the sports industry, my field of choice.
Climbing a forgotten peak is a bit like solving a problem with multiple unknowns: it’s about finding an elegant solution that takes advantage of the mountain’s weaknesses while negotiating with the variables of the moment – glacier conditions, snow coverage, rock quality, exposure, weather, and so on.
How did the idea for this project come to you?
Like most climbers, I had my initiation into mountaineering by crossing the symbolic 4000-meter barrier. However, instead of catching the 4000-meter fever, I quickly became disillusioned when I discovered the reality of these peaks: crowded mountains, frequent rockfalls, stressed and rushed climbing teams, a quick photo at the summit, and a waiting line for the descent, made even more stressful by the ticking clock.
Yet, if you look at the surrounding peaks, no one. The 3900-3999-meter range represents, for me, the very essence of the mountains: the search for a route that’s so characteristic of mountaineering, the wild calm of these deserted peaks, the beauty of the places, disturbed only by the flight of the bearded vultures... Isn’t that what we seek up there in the mountains?
What is your approach?
I’ve set out to climb and ski all the peaks between 3900 and 3999 meters in the Swiss Alps. But reaching the summit isn’t enough. To give them their full merit and value, I think it’s essential to document the routes and lines of these long-forgotten peaks.
In fact, these peaks are so rarely climbed that most of their guides date back to the late 20th century… Yet, mountain conditions have changed so much since then that it’s impossible to expect climbers to take an interest in these peaks if their guides are simply outdated. How can you prepare for a climb if the guide for your target mountain is over twenty years old?
My goal is to document the forgotten 4000s to bring them up to date and make them a source of inspiration for our mountaineering notebooks.
I’ve chosen to focus particularly on the 3999-meter peaks of the Swiss Alps, which are the most numerous but also the closest to me, to prioritize eco-friendly mobility in accessing these summits.
What is your ultimate goal?
In the long run, I’d like to write a book about the forgotten 4000s. Each of these peaks holds a story to tell, an anecdote, and I believe it’s important to honor them by giving them a small place in our climbing lists.
Where are you with your project?
I’ve counted 24 peaks between 3900 and 3999 meters in the Swiss Alps: 14 that can be skied in the spring and 10 that are for summer mountaineering.
To date, there are still 10 peaks left for me to reach.
What are the next milestones?
Among the many unexpected twists in the project, there was one particular surprise that popped up this year between two ascents for the project: I’m pregnant with a little girl, who’s expected to arrive just in time for the 2025 ski season!
So, I’ll need to find a new balance between the mountains, climbing, skiing, and the birth of my daughter. It’s clear that my Altitude 3999 project remains at the heart of my personal endeavors, but the timing may be impacted...
Among the remaining peaks, there are stunning mountains to explore: the Eiger, the Bietschhorn, among the most famous, and the Agassizhorn, the Jägerhorn, the South Summit of Moming, among the rare gems to discover... So many surprises in 2025!
Beyond the peaks and altitudes, the Altitude 3999 project embodies a philosophy: one of respectful exploration and rediscovery. For Anastasia, every summit is a unique encounter with nature, a return to the essentials.
Whympr celebrates this initiative and hopes to soon integrate these peaks into its app to inspire other enthusiasts to experience the mountains in a different way. Because beyond the most famous peaks, it’s often in the lesser-known places where the magic happens.
