UKC

Just saw this on Twitter:

"30 yrs ago today #Boardman & #Tasker died on #Everest. Thx for continuing to inspire us through the writings you left."

I'd been climbing in upper Eskdale and heard it on the news on the way home. Somewhat shocked that it's so long ago.

ALC

In reply to a lakeland climber:

I'm very fond of the mood and ethos behind the book Savage Arena. I particularly like where Tasker contemplates what it would take to climb the Eiger in winter and dismisses it as madness. Then a page or two later has a chat with Renshaw and makes a plan to do it and they does it in the winter of '75. Inspiring stuff.
James e

In reply to a lakeland climber: that has surprised me too reading what you put...I had no idea it was that long ago!!!

In reply to a lakeland climber:

The Shining Mountain was the first climbing book I ever read. I think it influenced what I read afterwards, and how I thought about climbing, at least to some degree. I must have had some knowledge of other climbing stories though, because I remember being surprised, and interested, at how they acknowledged getting angry at each other. It wasn't all roses and jolly japes, teamwork and 'challenge' (blurgh!). I think it gave a more rounded and honest picture of climbing and climbers.

But my first knowledge of B&T was from a Karrimor catalogue! Around 1983, when I was just doing my first walks here in Australia, one of their catalogues had a section dedicated to them, I think with a photo of a memorial stone at Everest north side BC.

In reply to Damo: I knew both Pete and Joe personally, even climbed occaisionally with Pete. When I was at Everest base camp (Tibetan side) in 1988 there was a rock built shrine as a memorial to Pete and Joe. People would leave little gifts, there were sweets, tins of sardines etc. The nicest thing which touched me was that someone had left a half drunk opened can of beer, obviously sharing a last drink with the pair

In reply to James Edwards:

Savage Arena is inspirational. Just what can be achieved with enough motivation is incredible (driving to the Himalaya in an old Escort van anyone ?)

In reply to a lakeland climber:

I remember hearing the news on the car radio, outside a chippy in Lancaster on the way back from a trip to Skye.

The news then was dominated by the Falklands war which we''ve been having a lot of 30 year anniversary stuff about; I'd forgotten that the two events were at the same time.

In reply to a lakeland climber: Massively inspirational climbers, even now.

In reply to a lakeland climber:

Thank you for this. I was at Uni in Wales when we lost Pete and Joe and remember the sense of loss in the climbing community from the climbing mags. I never met them, but these were the guys that inspired me to get off the crags and into the mountains and on big walls. I was given Savage Arena by my parents on my 21st Birthday (Xmas Day 1982)and had finished reading it before they disappeared. It is still in my top 3 of all mountaineering books. It is fabulous real, ego-less account of great climbing adventures and friendships. Real positive mountaineering role models, gone but not forgotten.

In reply to a lakeland climber:

I spent a day climbing at Stone Farm Rocks with Pete just before they set off on their ill fated expedition, whilst he was in the SE on a lecture tour. I remember being very shocked by the news and as you say can't believe it was 30 years ago!

In reply to Damo:

Just had a quick Google. That Karrimor catalogue is now online. There's an article about Pete Boardman by Audrey Salkeld on p17:

http://larsonweb.com/catalogs/karrimor83/karrimor1983.htm