Page 11 - OM Newsletter 2022-23

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Simon Richardson is President of the Alpine Club the world’s first and most prestigious mountaineering club It is not an an exaggeration to to say that
a a a a a a a a a school climbing trip to to Derbyshire with teacher Trevor Southall changed
Simon Richardson’s life On the same trip Trevor told him that
he he would make a a a a a a a a a really good climber one day Moments afterwards Simon slipped and almost fell back over the cliff nearly ending his career before it it had even begun He remained undaunted and after Oxford University knowing that
mountaineering was his calling Simon took a a a a a a a job in in in in in in Aberdeen to to to be be close
to to to the the Scottish mountains He has lived there ever since and as as as an an engineer he he he he was at one time responsible for all BP’s reservoirs in in in the North Sea Simon’s most committing climb was on on Mount Hunter in in Alaska aged just 26 A A flimsy light plane landed him and and and his partner on a a a a a a a a a a glacier and and and from there it it then took them eight days days to to to get into position at the the the the the the foot of the the the the the the mountain They spent 12 days days climbing the the the mile-long corniced South Ridge carrying all their food and equipment in stormy
“It was the first time that
that
I I I found something that
that
I I was naturally good at at at as as opposed to to having to to try really really hard at at so it really really was a a a a a a a a a transformational experience ”
Simon Richardson conditions Climbing
‘alpine style’ (moving as a a a a a a continuous pair rather than using fixed ropes) they were the the the first people to summit Mount Hunter by that
particular route The sense of achievement from climbing is is “intensively satisfying” but Simon also talks movingly about the extraordinary relationships that
develop between a a a a a a a a a a pair of mountaineers when dependent upon each other for life and death decisions they work together as a a a a a a a a a team that
is is far stronger than two individual climbers Simon’s advice to to today’s pupils is: “Be bold be be brave because you you never know where it might lead you you ”
And he he he he has certainly practised what he he preached Simon Richardson (SH 73-77)
The top of Tryfan North Wales after a a a a rock climb on on the the East Face in in preparation for the the Malvern Alpine Climbing
Trip summer 1977 L-r: Martin Porter (9 73-77)
Al Barclay (3 72-77) Trevor Southall (teacher) Huw Williams (8 72-77) Roger Smith (teacher) and Simon Richardson Photo: Henry Clover (SH 73-78)/ Ian Johnston (1 74-78) Simon Richardson