SIR CHRIS BONINGTON BIOGRAPHY

Sir Chris Bonington was born in 1934. He is married to Wendy. They have two sons; Daniel and Rupert. He lives in Caldbeck, U.K. He first started climbing at the age of 16, but it was first later during a two years period when working as a mountaineering instructor at the Army Outward Bound School that his mountaineering career started. In 1960, Chris was invited to join an expedition to Annapurna II. This was his first experience of the high Himalaya. Chris was successful and reached the summit. Many more expeditions were to follow. In 1961, Chris climbed Nuptse with Jim Swallow and later that year he scaled off the Central Pillar of Frêney, a climb that today is regarded as one of the great classics in the Alps. The following year, another trip to the Alps resulted in the first British ascent of the Eiger North Face. Chris name where now heard all over the UK climbing scene. THE HIMALAYAS His climbing career went on from success to success until 1970 when Chris for the first time found himself in the position as a leader of a major Himalayan expedition. The objective was the South Face of Annapurna, a huge, dangerous and difficult mountain wall. Chris suited perfectly in the role as the leader, he had the background from his military, yet he was very humble and a great leader. After months of hard work, the summit was reached by Dougal Haston and Don Whillans. EVEREST SOUTH WEST FACE In 1972, Chris went to the Himalayas once again, and also this time with the responsibility as the expedition leader. Their objective was another huge mountain wall; the South West Face of Everest. They later gave up due to the extreme winds and cold weather. Three years later, a second attempt was made, this time successful when the summit is reached by Dougal Haston, Doug Scott, Pete Boardman and Pertemba. The price was still to high, Mick Burke was lost near the summit. Perhaps he made it up, but was never seen again. THE OGRE In 1977, Chris found himself out on a small expedition, all the members where strong climbers. This time the goal was the extremely difficult mountain called the Ogre. Nick Estcourt and Chris pushes on, climbing in alpine style as a pair. Nick writes in his diary that Chris is climbing with him into his death, the margin is too less to bereasonably safe. They failed to reach the summit when they stood below a technical section, realising it is not climbable unless they had brought more rock climbing gear. With Nick in fatigue, Chris instead joins the West Ridge team with Doug Scott. The climb proves to be extremely difficult and strenuous. When they stand in front a crux section and it's Chris time to lead, Doug says something like; Youth! This is my lead! Doug took the lead and Chris followed... They finally reached the summit the same evening. Getting to the summit was committing, but if they just had guessed what was waiting during the descent. Near the summit, while descending, Doug slippers on the verglass and fall in a pendulum move and break both his legs! Suddenly they are in a desperate situation, high up on an un-hostile mountain wall. Finally they reached their old bivouac hole. The weather changed fast, a storm is blowing up, forcing them to endure two days in their snow-hole. On the third day of descending, they again had to ascend to climb up over the west summit. Doug is crawling on his knees. Luckily they are now reunited with Mo Antonie and Clive Rowland. Mo breaks the trail and Doug crawl behind, helped by Chris and Clive. There phase were slow and again they where forced to bivouac. The next day, during the first abseil from a pillar, Chris takes a fall and breaks his ribs! The weather is bad with a complete white-out. Both Doug and Chris where by now in a very bad shape and they realised that it's a too great risk to try crossing the Col without a clear view. Again they where forced to bivouac. After two days of waiting, they finally manage to make it into Base Camp. For Doug it was a painful experience when he had to crawl on his knees for three miles over the glacier and moraine. It had been a very critical situation, but they never doubted that they wouldn't go to make it. The Ogre has seen many attempts since this first ascent, all unsuccessful until 2001 when Thomas Huber, Urs Stoecker and Iwan Wolf reached the summit. TRAGEDY ON K2 The year after, Chris led a small team attempting an unclimbed line on K2. On a long traverse, a large avalanche dragged Nick Estcort down to his death. Dough Scott is on the other end of the rope and is miraculously saved when the rope snapped. Nick was one of Chris closest friends and after the accident Chris first dropped all taste for climbing mountains again. During the following two years, Chris wrote and researched for material for his book called Quest for Adventure, a book that stayed on the Sunday Times Best Seller list for over 10 weeks. KONGUR 1980-81 When China re-opened some areas for climbing in 1980, Chris, Al Rouse and Michael Ward travelled to China and found a great challenge in the mountain called Kongur, one of the neighbours of today's very popular Mustagh Ata. The following year they returned with a small team of elite climbers. Chris, Al Rouse, Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker made the first ascent of Kongour in an eight days traverse, climbing in alpine style. On the descent, Pete Boardman was hit by a rock "at the size of a football", Pete, falling down out of sight, but luckily he landed in soft snow. When the others reached him, Pete was unconscious. Luckily he recovered fast and was able to continue. EVEREST NORTH EAST RIDGE After the success with alpine style on Kongur, almost the same team (changing Al Rouse with Dick Renshaw) decided to try the unclimbed North-East ridge of Everest. The expedition proved to be an Epic, first when Dick Renshaw suffered a stroke high on the mountain during a critical section. He survived and left for home. Later Chris realized that perhaps he wasn't strong enough to go for the summit. Instead he and Adrian Gordon formed a support team for Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker On May 17, 1982, Chris and Adrian watched two small dots high on the mountain ridge, climbing for the summit. The following day Chris and Adrian moved up to the North Col meet Pete and Joe on their descent. They waited and waited. It was clear something had gone wrong. After four days, Chris and Adrian retreated to Base Camp. It was a mystery, Pete and Joe where gone, perhaps they had slipped and fallen. We will probably never know. Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker where known to push themselves to the utter limit, especially when climbing together; it was like a competition between the two friends, neither of them wanted to be the one to call for retreat. Perhaps that was what happened on Everest. Chris had now realized that no matter if he was losing climbing friends all the time in the mountains, his passion for climbing mountains would remain constant. MORE EXPEDITIONS In 1983, he successfully made the first ascent of the West Summit of Shivling on a five days alpine style ascent. This time they where only two persons; Chris and Jim Fotheringham. The same year he was invited by the Seven-Summit collectors Frank Wells and Dick Bass to follow on an expedition to Antarctica and Mount Vinson. The summit proved technically easy but very cold. On the first summit but, the others where forced back by the wind and cold while Chris alone continued to the top. In 1984, Al Rouse and Chris, the only still alive from Kongur attempted the Karun Koh in the Karakorum with two Pakistani climbers. The attempt had to be called off due to bad weather. EVEREST WITH THE NORWEGIANS Finally, in 1985 Chris reached the summit of Mount Everest as a member of a Norwegian expedition led by Arne Næss. The expedition was the most successful Everest expedition ever before, placing most of the expedition members on the summit. Their Sirdar were again the same as in 1975, Pertemba. It was an emotional moment for both Chris and Pertemba; remembering lost Everest friends. Pertemba carried an old club shirt to the summit. It was the shirt worn by Pete Boardman during the 1975 years expedition. STILL CLIMBING After his successful Everest ascent, Chris has by no way decreased his climbing activities. In 1987 and 1988 he led expeditions to Menlungtse. In 1988 he made the first ascent of the West Peak of Menlungtse. During the past 10 years, Chris has climbed in Greenland, Caucasus, Morocco, Karakorum, and the Himalayas. Sir Chris Bonington, born in 1934, at the age of 68 he has not in any way retired from his climbing and is still going strong! He is by no doubt one of the most admired climbers in the world and a great ambassador of the climbing sport! LATEST NEWS: In the autumn of 2001, Chris Led an expedition to Arganglas, a nearly unexplored mountain area the North West corner of India. The mountain range hosts many unclimbed 6,000 meter peaks with the highest measured to 6,789 meters. The expedition were successful and made three first ascents, including one major peak; Argan Eiger climbed by Mark Richey and Mark Wilford. © Per Jerberyd 1997-2002 "It isn't so much a matter of doing something dangerous as being master of that danger." - Sir Chris Bonington (Great Climbs) SELECTED CLIMBS AND EXPEDITIONS 1951 Ash Three Gully (Dinas Bach), first climb Hope (Idwal Slabs), first lead 1952 Chimney Route (Clogwyn du'r Arddu) Rana Temporia (Quinag), FA 1953 Agag's Groove (Buachaille Etive Mor), FWA Crownberry Ridge Direct, FA Ravens Gully (Buachaille Etive), FA Hangover (Clowgwyn y Grochan) 1954 Surplomb (Clowgwyn y Grochan), second ascent 1955 Mercavity (Avon Gorge), FA 1957 Aig. du Tacul South East Face, FA Steger Route (Cattinacio) Yellow Edge (Tre Cime) Demuth Route (Tre Cime) North Wall Direct of Cima Una Malbogies (Avon Gorge), FA 1958 Bonatti Pillar of Petit Dru Petites Jorasses West Face 1959 Comanici/Dimai (Tre Cime) Brandler/Hasse (Tre Cime) Cassin/Ratte (Tre Cime) Woubits (Clogwyn Du'r Arddu), second ascent The Modest (Clogwyn Du'r Arddu), second ascent 1960 Annapurna II West Ridge, FA King Cobra 1961 Nuptse South Face, FA Central Pillar of Frêney Mont Blanc 1962 Tramgo, FA Ichabod, second ascent Karwendal Schmid/Krebs Route, Walker Spur of Grand Jorasses Eiger North Face 1963 Central Tower of Paine West Face, FA 1964 Pointe Migot North Face, FA Aig. de Lepiney West Ridge, FA Civetta Andrich/Fae Route Medlar (Raven Crag), FA Totalitarian (Raven Crag), FA 1965 Coronation Street (Cheddar), FA The Holy Ghost (Scafell), FA Cardinal West Face, FA Aig. du Plan West Face Direct, FA Dent du Midi North East Ridge, FA Mount Blanc, Right Hand Pillar of Brouillard 1966 Eiger North Face Direct (supporting role), FA Old Man of Hoy (Orkneys), FA 1968 Aig. d'Argentiere North Face (in winter) 1969 March Hare's Gully (Applecross), FWA Great Gully of Garbh Beheinn, FWA 1970 Annapurna South Face, leader (Haston and Whillans to the summits), FA 1971 Moose's Tooth (attempt) White Wizard (Scafell), FA 1972 Everest South West Face (attempt), leader Grand Jorasses, Great Gully (attempt in winter) 1973 Brammah South Ridge, FA 1974 Changabang East Ridge, FA 1975 Aig. du Triolet North Face Direct, FWA Everest South West Face, leader (Haston, Scott, Boardman, Pertemba, Burke? to the summit) 1976 Pt.20,3909 North Face Direct (Kishwar, attempt) Mount Cook Mount Tasman 1977 The Ogre South Face, FA 1978 K2 West Ride (attempt) 1980 Pts 6200m, (Kongur group), FA pts 5400m, (Kongur group), FA 1981 Kongur, FA 1982 Everest North East Ridge, leader (attempt) 1983 Ben Nevis Orion Face Shivling West Face, FA Mount Vinson 1984 Karun Koh West Ridge (attempt) Cruel Sister (Pavey Arc) 1985 Everest South East Ridge, finally reached the summit 1986 Store Skagastølstind North East Pillar Yellow Edge (Avon gorge) Grosse Drusenturm South Pillar (Rätikon) Brenta Alta North East Diedre 1987 Menlungtse South West Buttress (attempt) 1988 Menlungtse West, leader, FA (Hinkes and Fanshawe to the summit) 1992 Panch Chuli II, leader (Graham Little to the summit), FA 1993 Lemon Islands (Greenland) Chisel Ivory Tower Needle El'brus Ushba North Ridge 1994 Rangrik-Rang, FA 1995 Drangnag-Ri, FA 1998 Sepu Kangri (attempt) Augpilagtoq (Greenland) 1999 Sepu Kangri (attempt) 2000 Danga, FA Base Camp Buchaille South East Ridge (Greenland), FA The Colossus South East Ridge (Greenland), FA Junction Peak East Ride (Greenland), FA The Blade South Ridge (Greenland), FA 2001 Morocco (rock climbing) Arganglas expedition, leader, three FA including Argan Eiger climbed by Mark Richey and Mark Wilford. 2003 Kullu / India 2004 Lahoul / India * FA = First Ascent * FWA = First Winter Ascent Books by or about Chris Bonington » Boundless Horizons : The Autobiography of Chris Bonington » Quest for Adventure : Ultimate Feats of Modern Exploration » Mountaineer : Thirty Years of Climbing on the World's Great Peaks » High Achiever : The Life and Climbs of Chris Bonington » Tibet's Secret Mountain : The Triumph of Sepu Kangri » World Mountaineering » Heroic Climbs : A Celebration of World Mountaineering » I Chose to Climb » Annapurna South Face » Everest : The Unclimbed Ridge » Everest South West Face » Everest the hard way » The Everest years : a climber's life » Kongur : China's Elusive Summit » The next horizon; autobiography II » Sea, Ice and Rock More about Chris Bonington » www.bonington.com How to contact Chris Bonington Follow this link: www.bonington.com/contact.htm » Return to the climbing heroes mainpage