John Cunningham

"Why do men climb mountains? Because there are mountains and there are men!"

This guy John Cunningham from a bit of research seemed to be the unsung anti hero of climbing out spoken, revered by his contemporaries but not widly known out side the climbing community. I'm sure when it comes to climbers you think of those who attempted or conquered the all mighty Everest or the British and personal favourite Chris Bonington. But unlike the aforementioned john hasn't got a glossy hard back autobiography on the shelf of Waterstones and unfortunately but fittingly, while teaching climbing a wave swept him to his death below the sea cliffs at Anglesey on Thursday, January 31, 1980, aged of 52. He however left the earth with a legacy of achievements in the climbing world and what greater acknowledge of this is own Mountain (how fucking cool is that). Mount Cunningham, (3998 ft), situated at the west end of south Georgia's Esmark Glacier.

Cunningham was a former president of the infamous Creagh Dhu Mountaineering Club renowned for being the "hard men of the hills" a group of nutty Scott's that loved running up and down mountains all day. Here's a quote of Hamish one of his companions and fellow member to paint the picture. 

”Hamish has been known to complete a winter route with nothing more than socks on his feet because they gave him a better purchase on the ice than his boots. Chris Bonnington, amazed by this spectacle, asked him if his feet were cold, only to be told: “I don’t know. I can’t feel them.” 

http://www.peaksandpasses.co.uk/creag-dhu-archive.htm  here's a diary section from when Cunningham's attempted  Everest in1953 interesting to see his first aid kit not relay hit tech.

2 tubes of Penicillin ointment

1 bottle of Iodine

1 large box of Elastoplasts

2 1" bandages and 2 2" bandages

1 pair of scissors

1 bottle of Calamine lotion

1 bottle of Aspros

1 bottle of Benzadrine tablets

Cost approximately £25 (cheap as chips)

So I'm going to read this book and see where his inspiration takes me.