UKC

Hello,

Does anyone know who made the first British ascent, and in what year, of the 6 classic North faces of the Alps?

And does anyone know who was the first Brit to climb all 6?

I know Chris Bonington and Ian Clough were the first to climb the 38 route on the Eiger, but I have a clue about the other 5.

Cheers Tom

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:
Robin Smith and Gunn Clark made the first British ascent of the Walker Spur. I think the Alpine Club guidebooks have significant known first British ascents listed.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

Pete Holden did all six in 1970 or 1971. First to do them all in one season, He had to do one again for that tick.

In reply to yesbutnobutyesbut:


The older AC guides list FBA's not the latest series.

In reply to Rick Graham:

..... and still to be seen soloing in Snowdonia and The Peak 45 years later.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide and others: did Ray Colledge do them? I know he did the big three

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

Only partly relevant, but I believe my old college mate Dave Robinson made the first British winter ascent of the Matterhorn North face, accompanied by James Bolton.
Unfortunately Dave died during the descent.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:
My ancient AC Pennine Alps guidebook lists the Matterhorn NF FBA as Carruthers and Nally in 1961 (the year before their separate deaths on the Eiger NF). The Walker FBA was 1959, Eiger 1962. I guess the Dru, Badile, and Cima Grande all had FBAs in the mid/late 1950s but I don't have the relevant guidebooks.

Rob F

In reply to Rick Graham:


Accompanied by Einstein himself( Zdzislaw(Tom) leppert)

In reply to dwb:

I was wondering about this but I'm not sure Tom was on every one of them or he too would have been credited? Or do you mean Tom was with him on the one he had to repeat

I remember on one occasion climbing with Tom, maybe in Wales somewhere, and we were idly and rather unrealistically discussing doing some alpine routes together (never got any further than discussing). I mentioned the Walker and of course Tom said he'd done it, and added '4000 foot VDiff...' Hmmm!

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

The listings in issues 1 and 2 of Mountain magazine - British Climbing since the war 1945-59 and 1960-68 - are useful sources here, as is Doug Scott's Big Wall Climbing:

Dru; both sources concur - Tom Bourdillon and Hamish Nicol, 26 July 1950.

Cima Grande; Mountain has Ian McNaught Davis and John Wilkinson in 1951, while Scott records their ascent as having been in 1953 following an earlier ascent by Vin Ridgeway (probably with Richard Meyer, and probably in 1952). No idea whether this has been resolved.

Badile; Alan Blackshaw, Geoff Sutton, Bob, Downes, Eric Langmuir, 1955 - reference Doug Scott.

There's general concurrence about the Walker (1959) and The Matterhorn (1961).

In reply to Ian Parsons:


That must be our own John Wilkinson... my, he must have been young then. Surprised he hasn't chipped in with that little gem! His logbook has it down as 2014 but I don't think John bothers with dates very much!

In reply to jon:

Yes - I'm rather hoping he'll appear and settle the discrepancy.

In reply to jon:
No, it is the Lakes John Wilkinson. If you remember he refused to budge until Mac threatened to piss on him. I did it with Ron James in 1967. Can anyone answer my earlier query about Ray Colledge doing all six?

In reply to jcw:

I thought you'd have been very young - 16 or so! Oh well, thought I'd give you the benefit of the doubt. No, no idea about RC, I'm afraid.

In reply to jon:

That's kind of you but I didn't start climbing until I was 28. And I've only done thé three lesser North Faces.

In reply to jcw:

You've certainly provided a level of resolution to another question hovering in the back of my mind: how many John Wilkinsons are there? Whatever the final tally, extensive and broad climbing experience to a very respectable standard appears to be a common attribute!

In reply to Ian Parsons:

I'm fairly sure that Alison Hargreaves was the first woman to do them all solo in one season.

In reply to Al Evans:
I think Alison Hargreaves was the first person (male or female) to do all 6 in one season...

In reply to Screwgate:

No, see Pete Holden above. He was the first Brit to do them in one season way back in 1970.

In reply to jon:
Hmmm ok I missed that earlier, I had a copy of 'A Hard Days Summer' in mind. Just checked the back of it which says:
'... fulfilled a remarkable ambition - to be the first person to climb the six major alpine north faces solo in one season.'

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

Ah, I guess the key is the word 'solo' but I wouldnt know myself...

In reply to jon:

... and although Alison Hargreaves' 'six faces' was a fine achievement, didn't she do alternatives to the 1938 route and the Walker (which I think she had done previously)?

In reply to Offwidth:


I know.

Have not seen him with a rope on since about 1972. Apparently his latest climbing partner insists he ties in though.

He did not take kindly to my suggestion, after seeing him in white T shirt and trousers , matching his white hair and beard, that he might be mistaken for a ghost. Can't take the piss out of his remarkable enthusiasm. A genuine star.

In reply to jon:

So was Pete the first Brit to complete the six?

In reply to Rick Graham:

No idea, Rick.

In reply to jon:

My guess is he probably was the first + in one season. Cannot remember anybody else being mentioned at the time in Mountain mag etc.

So probably?

First Brit
(Summer ) Pete Holden
Winter Dick Turnbull ?
Solo Alison Hargreaves
Winter solo Tom Ballard