Robin Smith (climber)
Encyclopedia
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.
, Smith was sent home to Scotland aged eight, attending Morrison's Academy
in Crieff
then boarding at George Watson's College
. He enrolled at Edinburgh University in 1956, where he studied philosophy. However with his entry into the University Mountaineering Club (EUMC) these studies were to remain in second place to his climbing obsession.
He planned to study for a doctorate in philosophy at University College London
. He was never to marry.
His ascent of Shibboleth on Buachaille Etive Mor
's Slime Wall in Glencoe
in June 1958 was particularly notable, as were his ascents of The Needle on Shelter Stone Crag in the Cairngorms
and Yo-Yo on the north face of Aonach Dubh.
Although Smith was to climb with a variety of talented and notable partners there are two individuals with whom he was to be most productive. His partnership with Dougal Haston
is probably the most well known, resulting in routes such as Gob on Carnmore in Wester Ross in April 1960 and Turnspit on Aonach Dubh in 1961. His account published in the SMCJ entitled "The Bat and the Wicked" described their bruising ascent of The Bat on the Carn Dearg Buttress of Ben Nevis
; this piece has entered climbing folklore. Indeed legend has that whilst discussing this buttress with the older and fiercely short-tempered Manchester climber Don Whillans
. Smith was to remark that whilst Whillans had forged the groundbreaking routes of Centurion and Sassenach on Carn Dearg, Smith and Haston had simply climbed the difficult bit in between. The most recent Ben Nevis climbing guide refers to Smith's article, claiming that the climb was "named after the great swooping falls taken on the first ascent, much of which was reputedly climbed at night."
An even more productive partnership with the less well-known Jimmy Marshall was to result in a string of landmark first ascents. In one winter week on Ben Nevis in February 1960 they were to transform the shape of Scottish winter mountaineering. Using rudimentary ice-climbing gear, Smith and Marshall led six difficult and committing routes at the cutting edge of what was then possible. They also repeated Point Five Gully in seven hours, a route that had only been climbed once before the previous year by a team led by the English climber Ian Clough which took more than 40 hours over six days. Smith and Marshall were to interrupt their week with a single rest day involving descent to Fort William, a pub crawl and temporary arrest by the local constabulary over an incident with some dominoes. This brief respite was not to slow their pace, indeed their final day was to be one of the finest of their climbing careers with the ascent of Orion Direct, a climb alpine in atmosphere and so advanced that Scottish winter mountaineering had to wait a decade before changes in technique and equipment permitted a repeat. The events of this winter week with Marshall are repeated and celebrated in the film, ‘The Pinnacle’ (2010).
Smith's early death was to prevent the establishment of his reputation beyond the borders of the British Isles. However several summer alpine seasons saw him achieve a number of notable ascents. Although he was prevented from attempting the north face of the Eiger
due to poor weather and an itinerant Haston, he was able to make the first British ascent of the Walker Spur on the north face of the Grandes Jorasses
. Their ascent came just before that of another British party including Don Whillans and Hamish MacInnes
.
he was roped to Wilfrid Noyce; a slip by one of them led them both to fall more than 4000 feet to their deaths. Due to the treacherous nature of the terrain in which their bodies fell their expedition companions, including John Hunt
and Joe Brown
, were forced to bury their bodies in nearby crevasse.
Wilfrid Noyce
Cuthbert Wilfrid Francis Noyce was an English mountaineer and author...
in 1962 on a snow slope in the Pamirs, during an Anglo-Soviet expedition, at the age of 23.
Life
Born in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Smith was sent home to Scotland aged eight, attending Morrison's Academy
Morrison's Academy
Morrison's Academy is an independent co-educational school in Crieff, Scotland, which provides nursery, primary and secondary school facilities. All who attend are day pupils and it draws many pupils from surrounding Perth and Kinross and Stirling....
in Crieff
Crieff
Crieff is a market town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It lies on the A85 road between Perth and Crianlarich and also lies on the A822 between Greenloaning and Aberfeldy. The A822 joins onto the A823 which leads to Dunfermline....
then boarding at George Watson's College
George Watson's College
George Watson's College, known informally as Watson's, is a co-educational independent day school in Scotland, situated on Colinton Road, in the Merchiston area of Edinburgh. It was first established as a hospital school in 1741, became a day school in 1871 and was merged with its sister school...
. He enrolled at Edinburgh University in 1956, where he studied philosophy. However with his entry into the University Mountaineering Club (EUMC) these studies were to remain in second place to his climbing obsession.
He planned to study for a doctorate in philosophy at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
. He was never to marry.
Climbs
Smith left behind a string of more than forty new summer and winter routes, many made at the highest level for the period and still considered as great classics of Scottish Mountaineering.His ascent of Shibboleth on Buachaille Etive Mor
Buachaille Etive Mòr
Buachaille Etive Mòr , generally known to climbers simply as The Buachaille or The Beuckle, is a mountain at the head of Glen Etive in the Highlands of Scotland...
's Slime Wall in Glencoe
Glen Coe
Glen Coe is a glen in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies in the southern part of the Lochaber committee area of Highland Council, and was formerly part of the county of Argyll. It is often considered one of the most spectacular and beautiful places in Scotland, and is a part of the designated...
in June 1958 was particularly notable, as were his ascents of The Needle on Shelter Stone Crag in the Cairngorms
Cairngorms
The Cairngorms are a mountain range in the eastern Highlands of Scotland closely associated with the mountain of the same name - Cairn Gorm.-Name:...
and Yo-Yo on the north face of Aonach Dubh.
Although Smith was to climb with a variety of talented and notable partners there are two individuals with whom he was to be most productive. His partnership with Dougal Haston
Dougal Haston
Dougal Haston, , was a Scottish mountaineer born in Currie, on the outskirts of Edinburgh.-Climbing achievements:...
is probably the most well known, resulting in routes such as Gob on Carnmore in Wester Ross in April 1960 and Turnspit on Aonach Dubh in 1961. His account published in the SMCJ entitled "The Bat and the Wicked" described their bruising ascent of The Bat on the Carn Dearg Buttress of Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. It is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands, close to the town of Fort William....
; this piece has entered climbing folklore. Indeed legend has that whilst discussing this buttress with the older and fiercely short-tempered Manchester climber 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...
. Smith was to remark that whilst Whillans had forged the groundbreaking routes of Centurion and Sassenach on Carn Dearg, Smith and Haston had simply climbed the difficult bit in between. The most recent Ben Nevis climbing guide refers to Smith's article, claiming that the climb was "named after the great swooping falls taken on the first ascent, much of which was reputedly climbed at night."
An even more productive partnership with the less well-known Jimmy Marshall was to result in a string of landmark first ascents. In one winter week on Ben Nevis in February 1960 they were to transform the shape of Scottish winter mountaineering. Using rudimentary ice-climbing gear, Smith and Marshall led six difficult and committing routes at the cutting edge of what was then possible. They also repeated Point Five Gully in seven hours, a route that had only been climbed once before the previous year by a team led by the English climber Ian Clough which took more than 40 hours over six days. Smith and Marshall were to interrupt their week with a single rest day involving descent to Fort William, a pub crawl and temporary arrest by the local constabulary over an incident with some dominoes. This brief respite was not to slow their pace, indeed their final day was to be one of the finest of their climbing careers with the ascent of Orion Direct, a climb alpine in atmosphere and so advanced that Scottish winter mountaineering had to wait a decade before changes in technique and equipment permitted a repeat. The events of this winter week with Marshall are repeated and celebrated in the film, ‘The Pinnacle’ (2010).
Smith's early death was to prevent the establishment of his reputation beyond the borders of the British Isles. However several summer alpine seasons saw him achieve a number of notable ascents. Although he was prevented from attempting 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...
due to poor weather and an itinerant Haston, he was able to make the first British ascent of the Walker Spur on the north face of the Grandes Jorasses
Grandes Jorasses
The Grandes Jorasses is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif.The first ascent of the highest peak of the mountain was by Horace Walker with guides Melchior Anderegg, Johann Jaun and Julien Grange on 30 June 1868...
. Their ascent came just before that of another British party including Don Whillans and Hamish MacInnes
Hamish MacInnes
Dr Hamish MacInnes is a Scottish mountaineer, leading mountain search and rescuer, author and advisor. He is the leading Scottish winter mountaineer of the generation following W. H. Murray....
.
Death
Smith died in the Pamirs in July 1962. Whilst descending from the summit of Mount GarmoMount Garmo
Mount Garmo is a mountain of the Pamirs in Tajikistan, Central Asia, with a height reported to be between 6,595 metres and 6,602 metres....
he was roped to Wilfrid Noyce; a slip by one of them led them both to fall more than 4000 feet to their deaths. Due to the treacherous nature of the terrain in which their bodies fell their expedition companions, including John Hunt
John Hunt
John Hunt may refer to:*John Hunt , Quaker minister, originally from London, England, and one of the "Virginia Exiles"*John Hunt , Quaker minister and journalist from Moorestown, New Jersey...
and Joe Brown
Joe Brown (climber)
Joseph Brown, CBE is an English climber, born the seventh and last child of a family in the Manchester suburb of Ardwick. He became famous for climbing during the 1950s, and was a member of the Valkyrie climbing club and founding member of the Rock and Ice climbing club. An early climbing partner...
, were forced to bury their bodies in nearby crevasse.
Sources
- Scotsman newspaper
- High Endeavours: The Life and Legend of Robin Smith, (ISBN 1841956589 ISBN 978-1841956589 )
- Ben Nevis: Rock and Ice Climbs, (ISBN 0-907521-42-8)
External links
- 'The Pinnacle' Movie Film celebrating Smith and Marshall's week on Ben Nevis