Base Camp
THE MOUNTAINEERING WORLD SAYS GOODBYE TO ONE OF ITS GREATEST
Happenings from high places
On the 7th of December, just before the previous issue of Trai● went to press, we were saddened to learn that Doug Scott, one of the true giants of British mountaineering, had passed away at his home in Cumbria aged 79 after a battle with cancer.
Doug grew up on the outskirts of Nottingham and, along with his younger brothers, was encouraged to find enjoyment in the open countryside of the Peak District. He began climbing at the age of 13, embarking on a career that would span over half a century and see him travelling the globe and making the first ascents of some of the planet’s most challenging and iconic climbs.
Perhaps his most famous accomplishments include becoming the first human to stand atop Changabang (along with Sir Chris Bonington), the first Brit to summit Everest (including an unplanned bivouac with Dougal Haston 100m below the summit, without oxygen or sleeping bags), and an eight-day descent off Pakistan’s Ogre with two broken legs (alongside Bonington who was suffering from broken ribs and pneumonia).
You can find a list of some of Doug Scott’s greatest climbs in the panel on the right, but equally important was the work he did for the communities in Nepal. Doug set up Community Action Treks (CAT) in 1989 to help improve conditions of labour in the trekking industry through responsible tourism. In 1991 he organised the installation of freshwater standpipes in Askole, the last settlement before K2, helping to reduce infant mortality by half. He went on to found the charity Community Action Nepal (CAN), spending much of his time fundraising and regularly visiting some of the 60 CAN projects out in Nepal.
Doug Scott leaves behind him a legacy of phenomenal mountaineering achievements and of having made the world he loved a better place. Whether it’s as a pioneering mountaineer, an advocate for the people of Nepal, or simply as a genuine man with a heartfelt love for the mountains and their communities, Doug will be missed.