Peter Boardman

Boardman was born in Stockport, Cheshire, England, the youngest son of Alan Howe Boardman (1920–1979) and Dorothy Boardman (1923–2007).

Peter Boardman (25 December 1950 – 17 May 1982) was an English mountaineer and author.

He is best known for a series of bold and lightweight expeditions to the Himalayas, often in partnership with Joe Tasker, and for his contribution to mountain literature.

He attended Stockport Grammar School from 1956 to 1969, going on school trips to Corsica in 1964 and 1965, and to the Swabian Alps in 1966.

Boardman first began climbing with school friends at Windgather Rocks in the Peak District National Park.

After joining the Mynydd Climbing Club in 1966, Boardman's climbing progressed quickly and he went on to climb in the Pennine Alps in 1968.

From 1969 to 1972, Boardman studied English at the University of Nottingham where he was President of the Mountaineering Club from 1971 to 1972.

While at university Boardman climbed extensively in Britain and Europe and embarked on his first expedition, to Afghanistan, in 1972.

Boardman's first expedition outside Europe was with fellow members of the Nottingham University Mountaineering Club who drove overland to the Hindu Kush in Afghanistan in the summer of 1972.

A training climb on the North Face of Koh-i-Khaaik (5,860m) turned into an epic when the climbers underestimated the difficulty of the Face, taking longer than planned to reach the summit and necessitating a 50-mile walk back to Base Camp.

Their main objective, the unclimbed North Face of Koh-i-Mondi (6,234m), was climbed relatively uneventfully.

In all, expedition members climbed five new peaks and five new routes.

After Nottingham, Boardman obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (English and outdoor activities) from the University College of North Wales in 1973.

In 1973, he became an instructor at Glenmore Lodge, Aviemore.

They first met in 1974 when Hilary attended a course at Glenmore Lodge instructed by Boardman.

In May 1974, Boardman and Roger O'Donovan made the first ascent via the South Face, and the second ascent overall, of Mount Dan Beard (3,127m) in the Alaska Range.

An attempt on Mount McKinley was abandoned when O'Donovan became ill.

When Chris Bonington was recruiting for the large, siege-style expedition to climb the South West Face of Everest, Boardman was recommended by Paul Braithwaite as a talented climber who would be compatible with other team members.

He moved on to become the National Officer at the British Mountaineering Council in 1975.

The expedition was successful in placing the first two Britons, Doug Scott and Dougal Haston, on the summit on 24 September 1975.

Boardman and Pertemba, the expedition's head Sirdar, reached the summit on 26 September.

On their descent, they met Mick Burke a short distance below the summit and still ascending.

They waited for him at the South Summit in deteriorating weather, but Burke was never seen alive again.

Boardman and Joe Tasker, on their first expedition together, made the first ascent of the West Wall of Changabang (6,864m) in the Garhwal Himalaya in India.

After the Changabang expedition in 1976 Hilary arranged for Boardman to give a slide show at Belper High School where she was the teacher responsible for outdoor activities.

Soon after they began climbing together in Derbyshire and Scotland.

Hilary shared Boardman's passion for mountains and they climbed together on Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya and Carstensz Pyramid.

Hilary left Britain to take up a teaching position in Switzerland where she was later joined by Boardman when he took over as Director of the International School of Mountaineering in Leysin.

With his postgraduate qualification, and climbing and mountaineering experience, Boardman was set on the path to becoming a professional mountaineer.

The climb took 25 days during September and October 1976.

It was considered "probably the most outstanding lightweight Himalayan climb so far achieved".

Changabang had been Joe Tasker's idea; he had seen it the previous year while on Dunagiri with Dick Renshaw.

As Renshaw was recovering from frostbite Tasker had asked Boardman if he was interested in a new route on Changabang.

In 1978 Boardman took over as Director of the International School of Mountaineering in Leysin, Switzerland, after Dougal Haston's death, a position he held until his own death in 1982.

Other positions and qualifications held by Boardman include:

Boardman climbed extensively in Europe throughout his career.

His early climbs included:

Boardman married Hilary Collins in August 1980.

Boardman and Tasker died on the North East Ridge of Mount Everest in 1982.

The Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature was established in their memory.