Great tribute to a great climber. Thanks for sharing all those stories, especially that you've met the bloke himself. I heard some of them from my climbing instructor many years ago.
One small correction: the spelling of the Polish climber's name at the Freney Pillar was Jan Dlugosz (somehow SP doesn't like the Polish diacritical sign instead of 'l'). Also a great guy, having climbed some FA's of the most difficult routes of his time in the Polish Tatras he fell off to his death several years later on an easy route, as it often happens...
Cheers for a great read, Hans!
Kamil
I'd been familiar with the name for some time, but really knew nothing about the guy until now. Thanks for the great narration, & outlining some of the things that defined & described his life. He reminds me a lot of Warren Harding (maybe a bit more inclined to fight), whose heyday on the walls in the US was pretty much at the same time (they were close in age too). I want to go read The Villain soon now.
I only climbed once with Don but will always remember it: it was at the end of 61 or early 62. I followed Don on Bloody slab (Cloggy). I was then the only "Frog" climbing in the UK aside a Swiss friend from Geneva and met Don through Chris Bonington and his pals. Don started the first and key pitch, stopped about 45 feet from the ground to put a sling in, before getting on. A few feet above, the sling went off, but Don went on whitout a wink. In less than 10 minutes he had climbed the pitch without a single protection. I followed but was so flabbergasted at the exposure taken by Don and his incredible ease that I followed him suit on the second pitch (climbed by Don in 5 minutes or so) but forgot the belay sling. Don told me to get down to fetch it which I did. Again Don raced up the 3rd and final pitch and I forgot again the belay sling! This time, Don did not say a word to me, unroped himself and went down the pitch to fetch his sling. Again this took him but a few minutes. I suppose that he felt that it was useless to say anything to such a loony Frog, particularly since he clearly saw that I could not quite fathom his Lancashire English! But in the pub after the climb, Don did not seem to have kept a grudge on me, although I did not understand the witty remarks he must have made. I discovered on that climb that "short men" such as Don could have an incredible balance on a rock (I was not yet a Fontainebleau boulders addict but a Marseille limestone "Calanques" one and we believed that the taller you were, the easier it was to catch a hold. How wrong were we). I must say another nice thing about Don. Everyone hears how rough a guy Don was but that is not at all my wife's opinion (then my girl friend) as far as his attitude to ladies was concerned: Don behaved with her as a true gentleman and gave her much attention, much more than many of the other British climbers we climbed with at the time including a number of Oxbridge fellows.
I very much enjoyed your article, in the same lines as the excellent Jim Perrin's book. Don was one the greatest characters I came across in the climbing world and reading about his wits always gives me the greatest pleasure and a definite lasting smile for the day.
How exciting to hear from someone who knew Don Whillans. Thanks Eric for letting us hear about your experiences of climbing in his rope. I remember seeing a film where Don and Chris Bonington arrived at the climbing site together on Don’s motorbike. Don had put on considerable weight but was still moving with ease. This time Bonington was leading and his last belay sling came loose. Don looked into the camera with a face expressing doubt in Bonington’s climbing. I guess he had forgotten what had happened when he and you climbed together back in 1961.
I looked around and found you and Chris Bonington skiing in the Chamonix area. Nice! I wouldn’t say no to come along and listen to stories from the old days:)
Don Whillans was truly unique as a charismatic, exceptionally talented and driven climber. Having climbed a few of the Brown- Whilllans routes in Chamonix, it is reasonable to say that his legacy as the foremost all-round climber in his generation will always be held with the greatest esteem.
1984-85 video of Brown and Whillans reliving their first ascent of Cemetery Gates
Some gems here such as Whillans arriving at the belay and querrying Brown as to status of the non-smoking stance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6CTK2hFvrw
at minute 23:47
Don Whillans will always be my greatest hero. His tenacity, competence and anti-villain image have served as role models for me both in my climbing and my professional careers. Having struggled up several of his routes in Chamonix I can attest to his aggressive style which continues to be impressive especially considering today's improved safety devices. I have two original Whillans harnesses among my collection and though I could never match him in his beer drinking exploits his memory will continue to inspire me to carry on the struggle - with style. Thank you Don!
We used to see Don at the Padarn Hotel in Llanberis in the 70s, often playing darts with the usual suspects.
Our NWFA crowd climbed many of his and Joe's rock climbing routes around Snowdonia. They tended to be hard vertical ones at HVS or Extreme grades. But, you knew if you picked a Willan's route it would be a great climb and would not be free of protection opportunities.
Sadly missed and worthy of many raised pints in celebration of him.
hansw - Feb 15, 2010 11:24 am - Hasn't voted
Re: GOODGlad you liked it.
Thanks!
kamil - Feb 16, 2010 9:53 pm - Voted 10/10
wonderful accountGreat tribute to a great climber. Thanks for sharing all those stories, especially that you've met the bloke himself. I heard some of them from my climbing instructor many years ago.
One small correction: the spelling of the Polish climber's name at the Freney Pillar was Jan Dlugosz (somehow SP doesn't like the Polish diacritical sign instead of 'l'). Also a great guy, having climbed some FA's of the most difficult routes of his time in the Polish Tatras he fell off to his death several years later on an easy route, as it often happens...
Cheers for a great read, Hans!
Kamil
hansw - Feb 17, 2010 10:49 am - Hasn't voted
Re: wonderful accountThanks for kind words! They inspire to write more articles.
And the spelling is corrected.
dadndave - Feb 21, 2010 1:21 am - Voted 10/10
The DonPerhaps I should be ashamed to admit that I once made a "pirate copy" of the Whillans sit-harness (something else he should be remembered for).
I still have it somewhere....
hansw - Feb 21, 2010 9:56 am - Hasn't voted
Re: The Don"Tha need not have worried, yer know”
Diggler - Feb 23, 2010 3:16 pm - Voted 10/10
Great!I'd been familiar with the name for some time, but really knew nothing about the guy until now. Thanks for the great narration, & outlining some of the things that defined & described his life. He reminds me a lot of Warren Harding (maybe a bit more inclined to fight), whose heyday on the walls in the US was pretty much at the same time (they were close in age too). I want to go read The Villain soon now.
hansw - Feb 24, 2010 1:35 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Great!Thanks, glad you liked it!
Don Whillans visited the U.S. in 1966 and met and climed with people like Royal Robbins and Chuck Pratt. Jim Perrin writes about it in “The Villain”.
hansw - Feb 25, 2010 12:11 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: AND he was a...Yes, being an anti-hero probably applies more than being a hero.
ericvola - Jan 25, 2012 4:09 am - Voted 10/10
Bloody SlabI only climbed once with Don but will always remember it: it was at the end of 61 or early 62. I followed Don on Bloody slab (Cloggy). I was then the only "Frog" climbing in the UK aside a Swiss friend from Geneva and met Don through Chris Bonington and his pals. Don started the first and key pitch, stopped about 45 feet from the ground to put a sling in, before getting on. A few feet above, the sling went off, but Don went on whitout a wink. In less than 10 minutes he had climbed the pitch without a single protection. I followed but was so flabbergasted at the exposure taken by Don and his incredible ease that I followed him suit on the second pitch (climbed by Don in 5 minutes or so) but forgot the belay sling. Don told me to get down to fetch it which I did. Again Don raced up the 3rd and final pitch and I forgot again the belay sling! This time, Don did not say a word to me, unroped himself and went down the pitch to fetch his sling. Again this took him but a few minutes. I suppose that he felt that it was useless to say anything to such a loony Frog, particularly since he clearly saw that I could not quite fathom his Lancashire English! But in the pub after the climb, Don did not seem to have kept a grudge on me, although I did not understand the witty remarks he must have made. I discovered on that climb that "short men" such as Don could have an incredible balance on a rock (I was not yet a Fontainebleau boulders addict but a Marseille limestone "Calanques" one and we believed that the taller you were, the easier it was to catch a hold. How wrong were we). I must say another nice thing about Don. Everyone hears how rough a guy Don was but that is not at all my wife's opinion (then my girl friend) as far as his attitude to ladies was concerned: Don behaved with her as a true gentleman and gave her much attention, much more than many of the other British climbers we climbed with at the time including a number of Oxbridge fellows.
I very much enjoyed your article, in the same lines as the excellent Jim Perrin's book. Don was one the greatest characters I came across in the climbing world and reading about his wits always gives me the greatest pleasure and a definite lasting smile for the day.
hansw - Jan 25, 2012 3:12 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Bloody SlabHow exciting to hear from someone who knew Don Whillans. Thanks Eric for letting us hear about your experiences of climbing in his rope. I remember seeing a film where Don and Chris Bonington arrived at the climbing site together on Don’s motorbike. Don had put on considerable weight but was still moving with ease. This time Bonington was leading and his last belay sling came loose. Don looked into the camera with a face expressing doubt in Bonington’s climbing. I guess he had forgotten what had happened when he and you climbed together back in 1961.
I looked around and found you and Chris Bonington skiing in the Chamonix area. Nice! I wouldn’t say no to come along and listen to stories from the old days:)
Thanks again,
/Hans
Schaps - Oct 13, 2012 1:49 am - Voted 10/10
One of a kindDon Whillans was truly unique as a charismatic, exceptionally talented and driven climber. Having climbed a few of the Brown- Whilllans routes in Chamonix, it is reasonable to say that his legacy as the foremost all-round climber in his generation will always be held with the greatest esteem.
desainme - Jan 13, 2014 7:10 pm - Voted 10/10
Whillans: Is this a non-smoking stance?1984-85 video of Brown and Whillans reliving their first ascent of Cemetery Gates
Some gems here such as Whillans arriving at the belay and querrying Brown as to status of the non-smoking stance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6CTK2hFvrw
at minute 23:47
hansw - Jan 14, 2014 3:59 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Whillans: Is this a non-smoking stance?Really fun to watch. Good climbing carrying 5 stones more than he did the first time.
Thanks Mark!
Schaps - Jul 9, 2014 3:58 am - Voted 10/10
Don is the ManDon Whillans will always be my greatest hero. His tenacity, competence and anti-villain image have served as role models for me both in my climbing and my professional careers. Having struggled up several of his routes in Chamonix I can attest to his aggressive style which continues to be impressive especially considering today's improved safety devices. I have two original Whillans harnesses among my collection and though I could never match him in his beer drinking exploits his memory will continue to inspire me to carry on the struggle - with style. Thank you Don!
DrJonnie - Dec 18, 2019 6:21 am - Voted 10/10
What a Manthanks for the article:
We used to see Don at the Padarn Hotel in Llanberis in the 70s, often playing darts with the usual suspects.
Our NWFA crowd climbed many of his and Joe's rock climbing routes around Snowdonia. They tended to be hard vertical ones at HVS or Extreme grades. But, you knew if you picked a Willan's route it would be a great climb and would not be free of protection opportunities.
Sadly missed and worthy of many raised pints in celebration of him.