As part of the 30th anniversary fund raising efforts, the trustees of the Boardman Tasker Prize are holding an electronic auction of a photographic print donated by Doug Scott and signed by some of the giants of British mountaineering.

The various events held last November at Kendal Mountain Festival to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the loss of Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker were successful in raising several thousand pounds to supplement the capital which funds the award. 

Doug Scott generously donated to the Trust a high quality framed print of his photograph of Peter and Joe resting at 28,000ft on Kangchenjunga with Everest in the distant background.  It is signed by three members of the team who made the first ascent of the mountain in May 1955: Joe Brown, George Band and Tony Streather.  It is also signed by Doug, who took the photograph on 16 May 1979, and by Chris Bonington.

There was insufficient time to prepare for and conduct the auction at the Kendal Mountain Festival.  It has been decided to conduct a sealed auction by email.  It will be sold to the person submitting the highest bid in excess of £500, no later than 15 September 2013.

To view an image of this rare and valuable signed picture, and for information on how to bid, visit the Boardman Tasker Prize website

The Boardman Tasker legacy

On 17 May 1982, Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker were last seen on Mount Everest attempting to traverse The Pinnacles on the unclimbed North East Ridge at around 8,250 metres.

Peter and Joe left two legacies. One was their great endeavour, their climbs on high peaks with bold, lightweight innovative methods which included Dunagiri, Changabang, Kongur, Everest and Kangchenjunga. The second and more lasting achievement were the books they wrote and left behind. This literary legacy lives on through the Boardman Tasker Prize for mountain literature set up by family and friends in 1983.

The Boardman Tasker Charitable Trust was established to promote literature by providing an annual award to authors of literary works, the central theme of which is concerned with mountains. The prize of £3,000 commemorates the lives of Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker and is given to the author or co-authors of an original work which has made an outstanding contribution to mountain literature.

View the list of 2013 award entries

Peter Boardman was the BMC National Officer from 1974 to 1977.

« Back