Doug Scott CBE and that other icon of mountaineering, Chris Bonington, made the first ascent of The Ogre [Baintha Brakk 7285m] in the Karakoram.  Their climb extended the boundaries of what had been achieved before at that altitude. But it was the subsequent descent from the summit in the dark, turning a catalogue of disasters that would have defeated most people, into an epic which has since entered mountaineering folklore.

With the aid of newly discovered photographs and diaries, legendary mountaineer, Doug Scott will be telling a thrilling tale of hard climbing, team work and survival against all odds, in his famously laconic and humorous style.

Doug slipped on the abseil below the summit breaking both legs just above the ankles and losing his spectacles and ice axe. He and Chris were forced to spend the night on a snow patch, warding off frost bite. Storm and starvation and days of crawling on hands and knees followed but they had to carry on regardless before losing all their remaining strength. Chris abseiled off the end of the rope, smashing his ribs and later contracted pneumonia. With the selfless help of Mo Anthoine and Clive Rowland, it took them eight days to reach Base Camp but the adventure did not stop there. And it was another 24 years before The Ogre was climbed again.

Proceeds from the ticket sales will support the work of Community Action Nepal, the charity set up by Doug Scott in 1995. The evening will include a sale of Nepalese goods and an auction of signed framed mountaineering prints. Doug will show a short video about CAN and update the audience about the post-earthquake reconstruction of CAN’s projects www.canepal.org.uk.  He will also be signing copies of his posters and books.