In the spring of 1982, two of Britain's most talented and daring mountaineers embarked on a climb from which they would never return. Peter Boardman, aged 31, and Joe Tasker, aged 33, vanished high on Mount Everest, their fate becoming one of the most poignant mysteries in climbing history.
The Ascent into the Death Zone
Their objective was the unclimbed and notoriously treacherous North East Ridge, a line guarded by the formidable Three Pinnacles. Both men were pioneers of lightweight, alpine-style ascents in the Himalayas, relying on skill and mutual trust over heavy support. On 17 May 1982, they left their high camp and moved onto the upper ridge above 8,000 metres – an area known as the 'death zone' where oxygen is critically scarce and the margin for error vanishes.
Other climbers watched as Boardman and Tasker made steady progress towards the Second Pinnacle. Their attempt was made without supplementary bottled oxygen, a decision that dramatically increased the risk. The mountain was already in a deadly mood; just two days prior, American climber Marty Hoey had fallen to her death on the north face.
A Helpless Vigil and a Grim Discovery
The leader of their British expedition, the legendary Sir Chris Bonington, later reported watching through binoculars as his two teammates disappeared from view at twilight. Exhausted and unable to follow, Bonington could only wait and hope. After days with no sign, the grim conclusion was that a calamity had occurred.
In his report, Bonington wrote that it seemed unimaginable they could have survived so long at that extreme altitude without oxygen. He praised their judgment, stating, "They both possessed great mountain judgment and, although bold and resolute in idea, were also prudently cautious." The expedition, already weakened by the evacuation of another climber, was left shattered.
The Lasting Legacy of Two Lost Climbers
For a decade, the exact details of their end remained unknown. Then, in 1992, climbers found a body near the Second Pinnacle, identified by clothing and equipment as Peter Boardman. Joe Tasker's body has never been recovered.
The loss resonated deeply, not only because of their climbing prowess but also due to their literary talent. Both were gifted writers; Tasker's posthumously published 'Savage Arena' and Boardman's existing works captured the essence of mountaineering. In their memory, the Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature was established, a fitting tribute to two men whose lives were defined and ultimately claimed by the mountains they loved.
