Charles Evans (climber)

Sir Robert Charles Evans (born October 19, 1918 - December 5, 1995 ) was a British medic and mountaineer .

Life

Evans received his education in Shrewsbury and Oxford . As a young doctor, he served in the Burma campaign during World War II. He then worked as a neurosurgeon in Liverpool . In 1958 he was appointed Rector of Bangor University of North Wales . He held this position until his retirement in 1984.

Evans went on extensive climbing tours in the Alps in 1939, after the war in Great Britain.

In 1953 Evans was deputy leader of the expedition to climb Mount Everest for the first time . Together with Tom Bourdillon , he made the first attempt at the summit on May 26th. Both reached the south summit, 100 meters below the summit, but had lost so much time due to problems with their oxygen systems that they had to stop the further ascent. Evans was the one who prevented his partner Bourdillon from climbing further because it would have been too risky because of advanced time of day, unknown remaining ascent time, and lack of oxygen. Two days later, Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary were on the summit.

In 1955 Evans led the successful Kangchenjunga expedition, in which four mountaineers reached the summit for the first time. Evans carried a load to the last high camp, but did not reach the summit himself.

In 1969 he was knighted as a Knight Bachelor .

After his retirement, Evans developed multiple sclerosis , which also ended his mountaineering career.

Web links

• Biography of Charles Evans of the National Geographical Society