(1934-08-06) 6 August 1934 (age 89) Hampstead, London, England
Nationality
British
Career
Notable ascents
Annapurna II (1960) Nuptse (1961) North Wall of the Eiger (1962) Old Man of Hoy (1966) Changabang (1975) Baintha Brakk/Ogre (1977) Kongur (1981) Mount Everest (1985)
Bonington's father, who left the family when Christian was nine months old, was a founding member of L Detachment, Special Air Service.[1] Bonington first began climbing in 1951 at age 16.[2] Educated at University College SchoolinHampstead, Bonington joined the Royal Fusiliers before attending Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and on graduation was commissioned in the Royal Tank Regiment in 1956. After serving 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 and hunting caribou with InuitonBaffin 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.
In 1972 he was unsuccessful on the south-west face of Mount Everest, but reached 27,300 feet. He had another shot at that route in 1975, and the 1975 British Mount Everest Southwest Face expedition that he led was successful--it put four climbers on the summit, but Mick Burke died during his summit attempt.[3]
Bonington has written or edited numerous books, made many television appearances, and received many honours, including the chancellorshipofLancaster University from 2005 to 2014. 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 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 preservation of mountain areas, in their natural and cultural aspects.
Bonington's first wife, Wendy, a freelance illustrator of children's books, died on 24 July 2014 from motor neuron disease (MND), inspiring Bonington to support MND charities.[4] The couple had three children: Conrad (died 1966), Daniel, and Rupert.[5] The family lived at Caldbeck, Cumbria.
Bonington married Loreto McNaught-Davis on Saturday 23 April 2016. McNaught-Davis is the widow of mountaineer and television presenter Ian McNaught-Davis who died in February 2014. The ceremony took place in London in the presence of about 60 friends and family members.[6]
1985 Mount Everest as member of Norwegian Everest Expedition
1987 Menlungtse (7181 metres; 23,560') attempted FA of main peak via South Buttress, to 6100 metres; 20,013'; w/ Odd Eliason, Bjorn Myrer-Lund, Torgeir Fosse, Helge Ringdal (all Norwegian) and Jim Fotheringham (UK).[16]
Chris Bonington briefly became the oldest person to summit Mount Everest in April 1985, at the age of 50.[19] He was surpassed by Richard Bass (ofSeven Summits fame), who summited later that same season at 55 years old, five years older than Bonington.[19] The record has been surpassed multiple times since.
^ abWillis, Clint (2006). The Boys of Everest: Chris Bonington and the Tragic Story of Climbing's Greatest Generation. London: Robson Books, p 335. ISBN1-86105-980-9
^UK list: "No. 46777". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1975. p. 8.
^Chaîne franco-suisse "Du col des Montets au lac Léman", Ruedi Meier, 2003
^Bonington, Chris (1988). "Menlungtse Attempt". American Alpine Journal. 30 (62). New York, NY USA: American Alpine Club: 275–278. ISBN0-930410-33-5.
^Bonington, Chris (1989). "Menlungtse Western Summit". American Alpine Journal. 31 (63). New York, NY USA: American Alpine Club: 284–286. ISBN0-930410-39-4.
Biography
Geography
