Dougal Haston
Encyclopedia
Dougal Haston, was a Scottish
mountaineer
born in Currie
, on the outskirts of Edinburgh
.
. Climbs such as The Bat on the Carn Dearg Buttress of Ben Nevis was to help establish them as future stars. Smith was to die in an accident in 1962 but Haston was to live on and realise their early promise. In 1970, with Don Whillans
, Haston was the first to climb the south face of Annapurna
on an expedition led by Chris Bonington
and in 1975, with Doug Scott
, he was the first to climb Mount Everest
by the south-west face, also on an expedition led by Bonington. His memorial in Currie mistakenly claims he was the first Britain to climb the north face of the Eiger
. In fact, this honour went to Bonington and Ian Clough in 1962, but Haston made the first ascent of the Nordwand by the direttissima, or most direct route, in 1966 with Jorg Lehne, Gunther Strobel, Roland Votteler and Siegefried Hupfauer. American
John Harlin was killed when a rope snapped (the ropes being used were chosen by Harlin although Haston had requested that they be thicker) and the route was subsequently named after him.
In 1967 he became director of the International School of Mountaineering
at Leysin
in Switzerland, a position he maintained until his death in 1977.
alone on the north-east face of La Riondaz to the Col Luisset that he was killed by an avalanche
. It appeared that he had been choked by his scarf. He is buried at Leysin.
(p 104)
"...that most impenetrable of big walls, the mind of Dougal Haston." — from a review of Connors' biography.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
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...
born in Currie
Currie
Currie is a civil parish and suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland, situated 10 kilometres south west of the city centre. A former village within the County of Midlothian, it lies to the south west of the city, between Juniper Green and Balerno on the Lanark Road...
, on the outskirts of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
Climbing achievements
Early in his career he was to climb several new Scottish routes with Robin SmithRobin Smith (climber)
Robin Smith was a British climber of the 1950s and early 1960s. He died together with Wilfrid Noyce in 1962 on a snow slope in the Pamirs, during an Anglo-Soviet expedition, at the age of 23.- Life :...
. Climbs such as The Bat on the Carn Dearg Buttress of Ben Nevis was to help establish them as future stars. Smith was to die in an accident in 1962 but Haston was to live on and realise their early promise. In 1970, 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...
, Haston was the first to climb 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 ....
on an expedition led by Chris Bonington
Chris Bonington
Sir Christian John Storey Bonington, CVO, CBE, DL 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.-Early life and expeditions:Educated at University College School in...
and in 1975, with Doug Scott
Doug Scott
Douglas 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...
, he was the first to climb 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...
by the south-west face, also on an expedition led by Bonington. His memorial in Currie mistakenly claims he was the first Britain to climb the north face of the Eiger
Eiger
The 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...
. In fact, this honour went to Bonington and Ian Clough in 1962, but Haston made the first ascent of the Nordwand by the direttissima, or most direct route, in 1966 with Jorg Lehne, Gunther Strobel, Roland Votteler and Siegefried Hupfauer. American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
John Harlin was killed when a rope snapped (the ropes being used were chosen by Harlin although Haston had requested that they be thicker) and the route was subsequently named after him.
In 1967 he became director of the International School of Mountaineering
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...
at Leysin
Leysin
Leysin is a municipality of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle.-History:Leysin is first mentioned around 1231-32 as Leissins. In 1352 it was mentioned as Leisins.-Geography:...
in Switzerland, a position he maintained until his death in 1977.
Fatal accident
It was at Leysin, in January, 1977, whilst skiingSkiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
alone on the north-east face of La Riondaz to the Col Luisset that he was killed by an avalanche
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
. It appeared that he had been choked by his scarf. He is buried at Leysin.
Quotations
"In winter, the mountains seem to regain their primitive, virginal pride, and no more do the howling, littering summer masses tramp their more accessible slopes." — Dougal Haston quoted in Jeff Connors' biographyBiography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
(p 104)
"...that most impenetrable of big walls, the mind of Dougal Haston." — from a review of Connors' biography.
External links
- Peter Donnelly, ‘Haston, Duncan Curdy McSporran [Dougal] (1940–1977)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 18 May 2007