Dougal Haston(1940-1977)

Climber and Mountaineer. Born in Currie, Edinburgh. Rose to prominence in the British rock climbing scene with the first ascent of "The Bat", Carn Dearg, Ben Nevis in September 1959 with Robin Smith. At the time this was the hardest rock climb in Britain. Haston went on to make his name as mountaineer in the Alps and greater ranges. In 1966 he was part of the team that made the first winter ascent of the infamous Eiger Nordwand. With Don Whillans he reached the summit of Annapurna by the South Face (27 May 1970) as part of an expedition led by Chris Bonington. Along with Doug Scott he he achieved the first ascent of the South West face of Mount Everest (24 September 1975) after bivouaking at 8760 m, again as part of an expedition led by Bonnington. Haston was Director of the International School of Mountaineering at Leysin, Switzerland from 1967 until his death in 1977. He was killed in an avalanche while skiing a steep couloir near his home. He is remembered by a plaque on the railway bridge at Currie, where he practiced climbing in his youth.