C O N V E R S A T I O N
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE ROPE—
A Conversation with
SIR CHRIS BONINGTON Chris Bonington
MIKEL VAUSE Chris Bonington, mountaineer, writer, photographer, and lecturer, started climbing at the age of 16. He made the first British ascent of the north wall of the Eiger and led the first ascent of the south face of Annapurna in 1970, the biggest and most difficult climb in the Himalayas at the time. He went on to lead other successful expeditions, including the first ascent of the southwest face of Everest in 1975, and reached the summit himself in 1985, then aged 50, with a Norwegian expedition. Now in his eighties, he is still active in the mountains, climbing with the same enthusiasm as he did at the beginning. Chris has written 17 books, fronted numerous television programs, and lectured worldwide to corporate audiences. Chris was educated at the University College School in London and at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst. He served as president of The Alpine Club and the British Mountaineering Council
as well as chancellor of Lancaster University. For his achievements in mountaineering exploration, he was awarded the Founder’s Medal of the Royal Geographical Society, the Lawrence of Arabia Memorial Medal of the Royal Asian Society, and the Livingstone Medal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. He was knighted in 1996 and pronounced Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) and a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE). I first met Chris in the summer of 1989 and can now look back at 30 years of warm friendship bound by our joint passion for mountains. I have also had the honor of editing Chris’s expedition diaries. This interview took place in Ogden, Utah, when Chris received an honorary doctorate from Weber State University and gave the commencement address to the graduating class of 2018.
