Chris Bonington
Encyclopedia
Sir Christian John Storey Bonington, CVO
, CBE
, DL
(born 6 August 1934, Hampstead
, London
) is a British
mountaineer
.
His career has included nineteen expeditions to the Himalayas
, including four to Mount Everest
and the first ascent of the south face of Annapurna
.
in Hampstead
, he joined the Royal Fusiliers before attending Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
, and on graduation was commissioned in the Royal Tank Regiment
in 1956. After three years in North Germany, he spent two years at the Army Outward Bound School as a mountaineering instructor.
Bonington was part of the party that made the first British ascent of the South West Pillar (aka Bonatti
Pillar) of the Aiguille du Dru
in 1958, and the first ascent of the Central Pillar of Freney on the south side of Mont Blanc
in 1961 with Don Whillans
, Ian Clough and Jan Dlugosz (Poland). In 1960 he was part of the successful joint British-Indian-Nepalese forces expedition to Annapurna II.
On leaving the British Army
in 1961, he joined Van den Berghs
, a division of Unilever
. But he left after nine months, and became a professional mountaineer and explorer. In 1966 he was given his first assignment by the Daily Telegraph magazine to cover other expeditions, including - climbing Sangay
in Ecuador
; hunting Caribou with Eskimos on Baffin Island
. In 1968 he accompanied Captain John Blashford-Snell
and his British Army team in the attempt to make the first ever descent of the Blue Nile
.
s, made many television
appearances, and received many honours, including, since January 2005, the chancellor
ship of Lancaster University
. He is honorary president of the Hiking Club and Lancaster University
Mountaineering Club and has a boat named after him among Lancaster University Boat Club's fleet. Furthermore he is the Honorary President of the British Orienteering
Federation. He has lived in Cumbria
with his wife, Wendy since 1974. He is a patron, and former president (1988–91), of the British Mountaineering Council (BMC). He succeeded Edmund Hillary
as the Honorary President of Mountain Wilderness
, an international NGO dedicated to the worldwide protection of mountains.
. Bonington has been recognised as one of the great explorers of modern times by St. Helen's School
, Northwood, England. One of its four houses is named after him, and has yellow as its House Colour. Bonington was presented with the Golden Eagle Award for services to the outdoors in 2008 by the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild
.
in 1996 for his services to the sport. He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 2010 Birthday Honours for his services to the Outward Bound Trust.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(born 6 August 1934, Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) is a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
mountaineer
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
.
His career has included nineteen expeditions to the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
, including four to Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
and the first ascent of the south face of Annapurna
Annapurna
Annapurna is a section of the Himalayas in north-central Nepal that includes Annapurna I, thirteen additional peaks over and 16 more over ....
.
Early life and expeditions
Educated at University College SchoolUniversity College School
University College School, generally known as UCS, is an Independent school charity situated in Hampstead, north west London, England. The school was founded in 1830 by University College London and inherited many of that institution's progressive and secular views...
in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, he joined the Royal Fusiliers before attending Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
, and on graduation was commissioned in the Royal Tank Regiment
Royal Tank Regiment
The Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formerly known as the Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps. It is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is made up of two operational regiments, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment...
in 1956. After three years in North Germany, he spent two years at the Army Outward Bound School as a mountaineering instructor.
Bonington was part of the party that made the first British ascent of the South West Pillar (aka Bonatti
Walter Bonatti
Walter Bonatti was an Italian mountain climber. He is noted for a solo climb of a new route on the south-west pillar of the Aiguille du Dru in August 1955 and the first solo winter ascent of the Matterhorn north face in 1965.-Life and career:Bonatti was born in Bergamo...
Pillar) of the Aiguille du Dru
Aiguille du Dru
The Aiguille du Dru is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps, lying to the east of the village of Les Praz in the Chamonix valley.The mountain has two summits:...
in 1958, and the first ascent of the Central Pillar of Freney on the south side of Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
in 1961 with Don Whillans
Don Whillans
Don Whillans was an English rock climber and mountaineer. Born and raised in a two-up two-down house in Salford, Lancashire, he climbed with both Joe Brown and Chris Bonington on many new routes, and was considered the technical equal of both. He was an apprentice plumber when he first started his...
, Ian Clough and Jan Dlugosz (Poland). In 1960 he was part of the successful joint British-Indian-Nepalese forces expedition to Annapurna II.
On leaving the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in 1961, he joined Van den Berghs
Margarine Unie
The Dutch company Naamlooze Vennootschap Margarine Unie grew in the 1920s through mergers of several margarine companies, among which Centra and Schicht and above all the companies of Antonius Johannes Jurgens and Samuel van den Bergh...
, a division of Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
. But he left after nine months, and became a professional mountaineer and explorer. In 1966 he was given his first assignment by the Daily Telegraph magazine to cover other expeditions, including - climbing Sangay
Sangay
Sangay is a constantly active stratovolcano in central Ecuador. It is the southernmost and most active volcano in the country, and is known for its explosive venting of thick ash clouds, which has built a dome since 1976.-See also:...
in Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
; hunting Caribou with Eskimos on Baffin Island
Baffin Island
Baffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut is the largest island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest island in the world. Its area is and its population is about 11,000...
. In 1968 he accompanied Captain John Blashford-Snell
John Blashford-Snell
Colonel John Nicholas Blashford-Snell OBE is a former British Army officer, explorer and author.John Blashford-Snell was educated at Victoria College, Jersey and at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, then commissioned into the Royal Engineers.Amongst his expeditions have been the first descent...
and his British Army team in the attempt to make the first ever descent of the Blue Nile
Blue Nile
The Blue Nile is a river originating at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. With the White Nile, the river is one of the two major tributaries of the Nile...
.
Writing
He has written fifteen bookBook
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
s, made many television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
appearances, and received many honours, including, since January 2005, the chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
ship of Lancaster University
Lancaster University
Lancaster University, officially The University of Lancaster, is a leading research-intensive British university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established by Royal Charter in 1964 and initially based in St Leonard's Gate until moving to a purpose-built 300 acre campus at...
. He is honorary president of the Hiking Club and Lancaster University
Lancaster University
Lancaster University, officially The University of Lancaster, is a leading research-intensive British university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established by Royal Charter in 1964 and initially based in St Leonard's Gate until moving to a purpose-built 300 acre campus at...
Mountaineering Club and has a boat named after him among Lancaster University Boat Club's fleet. Furthermore he is the Honorary President of the British Orienteering
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
Federation. He has lived in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
with his wife, Wendy since 1974. He is a patron, and former president (1988–91), of the British Mountaineering Council (BMC). He succeeded Edmund Hillary
Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE , was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest – see Timeline of climbing Mount Everest...
as the Honorary President of Mountain Wilderness
Mountain Wilderness
Mountain Wilderness is an international non-governmental organization dedicated to the preservation of mountain areas, in their natural and cultural aspects. The organization was founded in Europe and has a stronger presence in alpine and pyrenean regions...
, an international NGO dedicated to the worldwide protection of mountains.
Personal life
Married to Wendy, a freelance illustrator of children's books. The couple have two sons: Daniel and Rupert.Tributes
In 1974 Bonington received the Founder's Medal of the Royal Geographical SocietyRoyal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
. Bonington has been recognised as one of the great explorers of modern times by St. Helen's School
St. Helen's School
St. Helen's School, founded in 1899, is a selective independent day school in Northwood, North West London for girls aged three to eighteen. It is also the sister school of Merchant Taylors' School. It previously accepted boarders but as of Autumn 2009 the school is no longer a boarding school, and...
, Northwood, England. One of its four houses is named after him, and has yellow as its House Colour. Bonington was presented with the Golden Eagle Award for services to the outdoors in 2008 by the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild
Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild
The Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild was established in 1980 as a forum for writers and photographers specialising in the outdoors, mainly in the UK. It has since gone from strength to strength, and today has over 150 members. It is run by a committee of members...
.
Honours
Bonington was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1976 in recognition of the previous year's successful ascent of Everest and was knightedKnight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1996 for his services to the sport. He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 2010 Birthday Honours for his services to the Outward Bound Trust.
Notable climbs
- 1961 Central Pillar of Freney, Mont BlancMont BlancMont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
(First ascent) with Ian CloughIan Clough (mountaineer)Ian Clough was a British mountaineer who was killed on an expedition to climb the south face of the Himalayan massif Annapurna.-Climbing career:...
, Don WhillansDon WhillansDon Whillans was an English rock climber and mountaineer. Born and raised in a two-up two-down house in Salford, Lancashire, he climbed with both Joe Brown and Chris Bonington on many new routes, and was considered the technical equal of both. He was an apprentice plumber when he first started his...
and Jan Długosz - 1962 North Wall of the EigerEigerThe Eiger is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. It is the easternmost peak of a ridge crest that extends across the Mönch to the Jungfrau at 4,158 m...
(First British ascent) with Ian Clough - 1963 Central Tower of Paine, PatagoniaPatagoniaPatagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
(First ascent) with Don Whillans - 1965 Coronation Street, Cheddar Gorge (First ascent)
- 1966 Old Man of HoyOld Man of HoyThe Old Man of Hoy is a sea stack of red sandstone perched on a plinth of igneous basalt rock, close to Rackwick Bay on the west coast of the island of Hoy, in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. It is a distinctive landmark seen from the Thurso to Stromness ferry, MV Hamnavoe, and is a famous rock climb...
(First ascent) with Tom PateyTom PateyTom Patey was a Scottish climber, mountaineer and writer. Although he was a leading Scottish climber of his day, particularly excelling on winter routes, he his probably best known for his humorous songs and prose about climbing, many of which were published posthumously in the collection One... - 1973 BrammahBrammahBrammah is a mountain massif in the Kishtwar Himalaya of Jammu and Kashmir, India, east of the town of Kishtwar and near the border with Himachal Pradesh...
(6411m) (First ascent) with Nick EstcourtNick EstcourtNick Estcourt , educated at Eastbourne College, was an outstanding British climber killed on K2 by an avalanche on the West Ridge route... - 1974 ChangabangChangabangChangabang is a mountain in the Garhwal Himalaya of Uttarakhand, India. It is part of a group of peaks that form the northeast wall of the Nanda Devi Sanctuary. It is a particularly steep and rocky peak, and all routes on it are serious undertakings. It has been the site of many significant climbs...
, Garhwal Himalaya (6864m) (First ascent) with Don Whillans, Doug ScottDoug ScottDouglas Keith Scott CBE, known as Doug Scott , is an English mountaineer noted for the first ascent of the south-west face of Mount Everest on 24 September 1975. Scott and Dougal Haston were the first Britons to climb Everest during this expedition...
and Dougal HastonDougal HastonDougal Haston, , was a Scottish mountaineer born in Currie, on the outskirts of Edinburgh.-Climbing achievements:... - 1977 Baintha Brakk (7285m) (First ascent) with Doug Scott
- 1981 Kongur TaghKongur TaghKongur Tagh or Kongkoerh is at 7,649 m the highest mountain wholly within the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.-Geography:...
(7719m) (First ascent) - 1983 West Summit of ShivlingShivling (Garhwal Himalaya)Shivling is a mountain in the Gangotri Group of peaks in the western Garhwal Himalaya, near the snout of the Gangotri Glacier. It lies in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, south of the Hindu holy site of Gaumukh . Its name refers to its status as a sacred symbol of the God - Lord Shiva's...
, Gangotri (6501m) (First Ascent) - 1983 Vinson MassifVinson MassifVinson Massif is the highest mountain of Antarctica, lying in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, which stand above the Ronne Ice Shelf near the base of the Antarctic Peninsula. The massif is located about from the South Pole and is about long and wide. At the highest point is Mount...
(4897m) (First British ascent – solo) - 1985 Mount EverestMount EverestMount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
(8850m) as member of Norwegian Everest Expedition - 1987 Menlungtse (7181m) attempted FA of main peak via South Buttress, to 6100m; w/ Odd Eliason, Bjorn Myrer-Lund, Torgeir Fosse, Helge Ringdal (all Norwegian) and Jim Fotheringham (UK).
- 1988 Menlungtse West (7023m) FA via West Ridge, (expedition leader). Summit attained by Andy FanshaweAndy FanshaweAndy Fanshawe was a British mountaineer.-Biography:He started climbing as a student at Wilmslow Grammar School...
and Alan HinkesAlan HinkesAlan Hinkes OBE is an English mountaineer from Northallerton in North Yorkshire. Hinkes is the first British mountaineer to have summited all 14 mountains with elevations greater than 8000 metres, the so-called Eight-thousanders; however, this claim is disputed.He was awarded an Honorary...
(both UK), with David BreashearsDavid BreashearsDavid Breashears is an American mountaineer and filmmaker. In 1985, he became the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest twice...
and Steve Shea (both USA) in support.
Expedition leader
- 1970 AnnapurnaAnnapurnaAnnapurna is a section of the Himalayas in north-central Nepal that includes Annapurna I, thirteen additional peaks over and 16 more over ....
(south face), successful, summit reached by Dougal Haston and Don Whillans; death of Ian Clough - 1972 Mount EverestMount EverestMount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
, (south-west face), unsuccessful - 1975 Mount Everest (south-west face), successful, summit reached by Doug Scott, Dougal Haston, Peter BoardmanPeter BoardmanPeter Boardman was a British climber, Everest summiteer, and author of several mountaineering books.-Early life:...
, Pertemba Sherpa and Mick BurkeMick Burke (mountaineer)Mick Burke was an English mountaineer and climbing cameraman, who covered many British-led mountaineering expeditions during the 1960s and 1970s. These included expeditions led by Chris Bonington to Annapurna and an unsuccessful attempt on Mount Everest's south-west face in 1972.Burke was part of...
; death of Burke - 1978 K2K2K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest...
(west face), unsuccessful; death of Nick Escourt - 1982 Mount Everest (north-east ridge), unsuccessful; death of Peter BoardmanPeter BoardmanPeter Boardman was a British climber, Everest summiteer, and author of several mountaineering books.-Early life:...
and Joe TaskerJoe TaskerJoe Tasker was one of the most talented British climbers during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Born into a traditional Roman Catholic family, he was one of ten children and spent his early childhood in Port Clarence, Middlesbrough then attended Ushaw Seminary, County Durham between the ages of 13...
- Note: Although expedition leader, Bonington did not reach the summit of these peaks on these expeditions