In his own words Dougal Haston covers the years from his childhood in Scotland, where his love of climbing was first sparked, through to his development into perhaps the most formidable climber of his generation; his reputation was forged by his successful ascents of familiar peaks by unfamiliar routes (of which the most famous was the Eiger Direct).
Infused throughout with his passion for climbing and his great determination to succeed, In High Places is a compelling and eye-opening portrait of the climber as a young man and a must read for all those with an interest in mountaineering.
“A fascinating book both as an insight into one of Britain’s most intriguing climbers and also as an account of a particularly rich period of British climbing history.”
Chris Bonnington
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“Haston’s prose is fast-paced, economical and wellsuited to a climbing narrative.”
mountain Magazine
“Haston’s style of writing is crisp and laconic … There is no superfluous padding but the essentials are there, stark and bold. I very much enjoyed reading this book.”
alpine Journal
In 1977, at the age of 37, Dougal Haston died on a mountain, caught in an avalanche whilst skiing in the Alps. He became an icon for aspiring climbers and remains one of the most charismatic and inspiring figures in the history of climbing.
Doug Scott was a close friend of Dougal Haston’s and a regular climbing companion. His introduction to In High Places offers a telling glimpse and fond memories of this great climber, who died so tragically young.