Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Sir Chris Bonington's iconic expedition.
On 24 September 1975, Doug Scott and Dougal Haston watched the sun go down from a place no Briton had been before. The summit of Everest. And they’d got there the ‘hard way’ – overcoming the mountain’s unconquered southwest face.
Led by Sir Chris Bonington and supported by a team of 33 Sherpas, this bold, daring expedition had climbed the unclimbable. Sadly, one of the expedition – Mick Burke – would never return home, disappearing as he approached the summit.
Fifty years on, we’ll be remembering their pioneering spirit by helping raise over £150,000 for Community Action Nepal. In doing so, we’ll honour Doug’s final promise to lead Sherpa Pertemba: to restore the Sherpa Heritage House destroyed in a devastating earthquake.
Without the experience, expertise and guidance of the Sherpas, this expedition – and so many before and after it – wouldn’t have been possible. Join us to give something back to a community that has given mountaineering so much.
A legacy that lives on today
After reaching the summit, Doug and Dougal faced a perilous descent. Night drew in. Temperatures plummeted. Darkness shrouded the mountain. With no tent, no sleeping bag, and no bottled oxygen, the pair were forced to dig a snow cave at 28,750 feet—the “Death Zone”—knowing that sleep could be fatal. Against all odds, they survived.
For Doug Scott, this expedition became about more than their daring achievement. It sparked a lifelong commitment to the people of Nepal. Founded in 1984, Community Action Nepal works with some of the most remote communities in the Himalayas, delivering life-changing education, healthcare, agriculture, and livelihood support.
Working in partnership with local people, the charity helps raise standards of living while strengthening and protecting indigenous cultures and traditions. As we look back on the fiftieth anniversary of the expedition, please join us to remember the past by making a difference in the present.
