Info > Honorary members > SIR CHRIS BONINGTON

Born in Hampstead in 1934. In the fifties he began climbing in the Alps and in 1958 made the first British ascent of the South West Pillar of the Drus. In 1961 he was the first to climb the Central Pillar of Freney on Mont Blanc with Don Whillans, Ian Clough and the Pole, Jan Dlugosz. 

In 1962 Bonington made the first British ascent of the North Wall of the Eiger. His career as writer, photographer and climber has continued with success since 1962. In the autumn of 1968 Bonington started planning an expedition to attempt the South Face of Annapurna. Careful choice of team members and logistic planning was rewarded when Dougal Haston and Don Whillans reached the summit on 27 May, 1970.

After the ascent of Annapurna, the “last great problem” to tackle was the South West face of Everest. In the autumn of 1975, when the possibility of making the attempt arose, Bonington led the British expedition to success: Doug Scott and Dougal Haston reached the summit on 24 September. Two years later Bonington and Doug Scott made the first ascent of the Ogre (7.284 m.) in Karakoram Himalaya. 

1983 proved to be a full and successful year, with the first ascent of the West Summit of Shivling (6.501 m.). Bonington realised a lifetime’s ambition when, in 1985, he reached the top of Everest as a member of the Norwegian Everest expedition. In 1996 he was knighted for his services to sport. 

A mountaineer and also a prolific writer, with 21 books published, president of the Alpine Club from 1996 to 1998 and still, thanks to his experience as team-leader in dozens of mountaineering expeditions, a teacher of leadership and team-building for important world companies and various British universities.