Doug Scott DOUG Scott’s life story reads like an epic and thrilling adventure. As the news of his passing spread this week, tributes poured in for this gentle, intelligent, and caring man, regarded by many as one of most impressive and respected mountaineers of the 20th century. He was the first Englishman to climb Everest via its daunting south-west face. As part of Sir Chris Bonington’s famous 1975 expedition, Scott and his Scottish climbing partner Dougal Haston enjoyed the thrill of the summit on September 24 – but they faced a true test of nerve during the descent. One hundred metres below the summit, as darkness fell, they dug a snow hole and retreated into it to spend a brutally cold night at a altitude of 8,760 metres.