Mountain Guru – The Life of Doug Scott
- Friday 15th March 2024
by Catherine Moorehead Birlinn Ltd £25
Review by Noel Dawson
Mountain Guru by Catherine Moorehead tells the extraordinary life story of the British mountaineer, Doug Scott. Catherine describes Doug’s childhood and the significant role his father and mother played during his early years. The book tells us that Doug did not always enjoy school apart from reading and sport. This was a time when teachers taught huge classes of children. Doug quickly learnt that he was not a great supporter of rules and discipline. He was happiest in the outdoors playing with friends and searching out adventures.
The book recounts Doug’s climbing years by looking at different periods and different kinds of climbing rather than recording his achievements in chronological order. As an example, we have Chapter Four entitled ‘Climbs in the UK 1960-70’, ‘Chapter Five Climbs in the Alps, Spain and Dolomites 1958-69’ and ‘Chapter Six Expeditions beyond Europe 1962-67’. The text continues in this way looking at Doug’s big wall adventures, the road that led him to Everest and his years of lightweight climbing around the world; certainly the style of mountaineering that Doug found most rewarding.
Catherine also records events in Doug’s personal life covering his marriages, the times he spent with his children and some testing times that Doug faced during the early years of the 21st century. The book concludes by describing Doug’s many years with Community Action Treks and Community Action Nepal, his evolving role in the mountaineering world, his passion for organic vegetable gardening and the illness that sadly took his life.
The Foreword to the book is written by Stephen Venables. Stephen has really captured the complex character that was Doug Scott. He reflects on the talented mountaineer; tough and strong-minded yet also humble and caring and quick to act when help was needed. Maps at the front of the book pinpoint Doug’s climbs, Notes at the back of the book support Catherine’s narrative, Doug’s climbs and expeditions are recorded in chronological order at the back of the book and a selection of Doug’s wonderful colour photographs fill the middle pages.
Mountain Guru is a truly fascinating and very revealing book. Catherine has thoroughly researched Doug’s life and has called upon his numerous friends to recall their times with Doug. They all have special memories of him. Doug was a leader of men who had the great skill of persuading others that they wanted to follow him in all sorts of situations. Catherine has endeavoured to present a balanced account of Doug’s life, describing his outstanding achievements over so many years but also recounting times in his life that were led fast and free seemingly without much consideration given to the consequences of his actions.
Catherine writes about the Doug who was quick to spot good in people and who also recognised when people were in need. He acted tirelessly to encourage and support his friends in Nepal. She also describes the times of the conflict between Doug’s need to climb and his responsibilities at home, the affairs he had, his very determined and, at times, selfish nature and his use of recreational substances.
The text of Mountain Guru is a little testing to follow at times. I personally prefer books that offer a story simply told chronologically. The narrative moves on at a fast pace and is enhanced by Catherine’s explanations and interpretations of the events she is describing. Catherine knew Doug well having helped him with his offerings about The Ogre and Kangchenjunga and that relationship must certainly have helped with her writing of this book.
Doug Scott was a special man with friends and supporters around the world. The whole mountaineering community mourned when Doug died in 2020. Many were quick to write about the man they knew who achieved so much. Doug climbed today because he could not wait for tomorrow. He helped today because he saw he could make tomorrow better for people. We read in the book of a character who was sometimes quite abrasive. It may be said that Doug did not always choose his words carefully and that he occasionally left a trail of frustration in others behind him. That was the Doug that many knew.
Mountain Guru is a book that will mean much to so many. Catherine leaves the reader in no doubt that Doug was one of the finest climbers in mountaineering history. To the people of Nepal, Doug was a caring and highly respected friend who shared their troubles and their joys and who was able to show a positive way forward which brought improved education, health and prosperity to a people who had much to learn but who also had much to teach.
To quote Paul Braithwaite, Doug could be a ‘mischievous bugger’ but he did good work and he made people smile. Mountain Guru is Doug’s life: the ups and downs; the good and the questionable; the achievements and the endeavours. It is certainly a book which represents an important chapter in climbing history and tells of an outstanding humanitarian who significantly changed the lives of many. Congratulations, and thanks, to all who contributed to this wonderful book.