Along the way, Boysen climbed with some of the most important figures in the history of the sport, not just stars like Bonington and Brown, but those who make climbing so rich and intriguing, like Nea Morin and the brilliant but doomed Gary Hemming. He joined Hamish MacInnes hunting gold in Ecuador, doubled for Clint Eastwood on the North Face of the Eiger. The same day you were questing about on Anglesey, the Beatles swooped the top 5 spots in the American charts. Were you aware the Sixties were swinging around you? Burke was also the main expedition cameraman, and he was lucid enough to ask the two descending climbers to walk past him a couple of times while he filmed them. He asked them to return to the summit with him so that he could film them there. But when Boardman accepted, he changed his mind and asked them to wait for him at the South Summit. Then they parted ways. Bonington, Christian; Scott, Doug; Haston, Dougal (1976). "Everest Southwest face" (PDF). American Alpine Journal. 20 (2): 345–358.

The post-monsoon Japanese expedition in autumn 1973 had attempted both the Southwest Face and the normal route. The face party had failed in much the same way as the British had the year before but the South Col team had managed what turned out to be a very significant achievement. In the post-monsoon season they had reached the summit by climbing directly from the South Col without stopping overnight. By the time they had reached the summit they were out of oxygen but despite that, and having to bivouac overnight without food, drink or a tent, they had returned safely to the South Col. [15] The scarcity of permits meant that he didn’t get his next chance until autumn 1975. He resolved to have another go at the Southwest Face. Like Annapurna, it was a siege-style expedition with an army of Sherpas and a dozen elite British climbers chipping in to establish the route. The aim was to get someone – just one or two would do – to the summit. If anyone else reached the peak too, well, that was a bonus.Photographs are available online showing the rather similar snow conditions during the expedition. [1]

In December 1973 Bonington heard that a team had withdrawn from its 1975 time slot. It was for post-monsoon so when he applied for the slot he was again intending to attempt his lightweight South Col—Southeast Ridge scheme. Permission was given in April 1974 when he, Haston and Scott were starting on a Changabang expedition (which was to be another first ascent) and Haston and Scott were able to persuade Bonington to try the Southwest Face again, despite it having to be in the autumn. [16] The scheme eventually turned into what has been described as "the apotheosis of the big, military-style expeditions". [17] Preparations [ edit ] The Everest Southwest Face 1975 ascent was ground breaking. An incredible achievement both in terms of the individual contributions of some incredibly talented mountaineers and in the tactics employed by expedition leader Chris Bonington. Bonington had already led a team to the face in 1972 and on that trip they reached 8,300 metres. Lessons learned that time around undoubtedly helped them hone their tactics for the 1975 expedition.

Throughout the 80s and 90s both Martin and I (along with our wives) were busy working. We both had young families and as such time was precious. It was important that you had a reliable climbing partner. Martin was that person; always ready to get out climbing, keen to get away for the weekend; and always avid to go on holidays to unusual areas. NZ Alpine Team Summits Changabang after 46 years by the epochal West Ridge Route". dreamwanderlust.com. 11 May 2022 . Retrieved 3 July 2023. Boardman and Pertemba waited on the South Summit for an hour and a half as ‘all the winds of Asia’ (in the poetic words of Boardman) threatened to blow them off the ridge. When Pertemba said he could no longer feel his fingers and toes, they decided it was time to descend for their own safety. The South Pillar is also called the South Buttress and the Central Pillar is also called the Southwest Pillar. [86]