Tom Longstaff was a tough and adventurous British explorer and mountaineer (and Doctor) very active in the early 20th century. In 1907 he famously made the first ever ascent of a 7000m peak by climbing Trisul in the Indian Himalaya. Prior to that in 1905 he had explored a possible route in to the Nanda Devi Sancturay and made a bold foray up onto the col, that would later bear his name, to examine the magnificent South Ridge of Nanda Devi East.

Photo of our 2009 expedition camped at the Longstaff's Col

Longstaff and his Indian Guide spent a chilly night on a bed of stones camped below the first pinnacle which marks the start of the technical difficulties on the long and commiting South Ridge. After our trip there in 2009 I made this short Expedition Film.

As Tom Longstaff's daughter, Sally, lived quite close to expedition member Paul Guest, Paul was able to visit her before and after our expedition and show both the photos and film.

Sally enjoyed the film and commented that Tom always thought there was 'too much irnomongery in modern mountaineering' and hated the phrase that a mountain had been 'conquered' as it detracted from the romantic element of the adventure. Both comments hint to the impressively adventurous and lightweight alpine ethic adopted by Longstaff and subsequent famous British explorer climbers of the 1930's Tilman and Shipton.

You can read more about Tom Longstaff's adventures in his book 'This My Voyage'

Thanks to Paul Guest for the photo of Sally Amos and passing on her thoughts.