Peter Boardman

Peter Boardman, born on Christmas Day 1950, was educated at Stockport Grammar School and took a degree in English at Nottingham University. His first expedition was to Afghanistan in 1972 and in 1975 he was a member of the Everest South West Face Expedition led by Chris Bonington. As one of the strongest members of the expedition he was chosen for the second ascent, successfully reaching the summit of Everest on 26 September 1975.

After Everest his expeditions followed with frightening speed. In 1976 he visited the Polish High Tatra and later that year joined Joe Tasker on the legendary climb of Changabang. In 1978, by now firmly established as one of the most respected high altitude climbers, he took part in the K2 Expedition, which was marred by the tragic death of Nick Estcourt, and in 1979 successfully climbed Kangchenjunga with Joe Tasker, Doug Scott and Georges Bettembourg. Later that year he was to climb Gaurisankar in Nepal and in 1980 returned to K2 reaching 7975 metres but poor weather and exhaustion prevented a further summit attempt.

Mount Kongur followed in 1981 and in March 1982 in a small expedition with Chris Bonington, Joe Tasker and Dick Renshaw he attempted the North East Ridge of Everest in which he and Joe Tasker so tragically lost their lives.

Peter's talent for writing emerged through his climbing career. The success of his first book, The Shining Mountain, was immediate in the climbing world and won him wider acclaim with the John Llewelyn Rhys Memorial Prize for literature in 1979. Sacred Summits, published shortly after his death, described the climbing year of 1979, the trips to New Guinea, Kangchenjunga and Gaurisankar.

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