I heard about the accident on Ben Hope yesterday and the loss of two lives. To now learn it was Andy Nisbet and Steve Perry has really knocked me. There is always a danger of complacency creeping in on the hills in Winter. That’s a whopping reminder of how things can, and do, go wrong, even to those with massive amounts of experience.

The only people I’ve known personally who died in the hills were experienced, well equipped and knew exactly what they were doing. Things go wrong for everyone, sadly.

Tragic loss for us all the Loss of Andy Nisbet and Steve Perry in a climbing accident on Ben Hope .

Sad news indeed.

Same here, it was a huge shock when the news filtered through the grapevine last night. Both of them with unimpeachable credentials, but Andy in particular was such a linchpin of the scottish winter scene for such a long time and absolutely the last guy you’d expect.

Reminds me of losing Andy Fanshawe in the early 90s, except somehow even worse.

I was shocked when the news filtered through last night. I had conversed online with Andy over a couple of new routes I put up in 2010. I also said hello in the passing not knowing it was him at the time. He posted pictures on FB after a reccy of Arverickie Wall a number of years ago. I was heading in to bag an adjacent munro in the evening.

It’s a shame as these are two giants of the climbing community. Andy has his name on more first ascents than anyone else in the Scottish mountains and I can’t see that being passed for a while.

I only know Nisbet from the guide books I have. As scotroutes said, a reminder of how unforgiving and unpredictable winter hills can be.

Oh now that is bad news. I met Andy once at Martin Moran’s place (one of my mates is related) back in the 90s. He was a legend even then. They’ll all be devastated.

Thanks for pointing this out scotroutes.

Oh f***!

First met him years ago (early 1990s) when we stopped at his place on our way up to climb the Old Man of Hoy. He continued north with us as he was guiding a client on the route.

Dreadful news.
Met Andy on a Martin Moran course many years ago when I was first getting into winter climbing and was guided by him for much of the week. Really top bloke without a hint of arrogance even though the gap between his skill level and ours was pretty embarrassing at times. Still remember his ancient and entirely de-laminated Goretex cagoule. He claimed all the water went through the outer layer and then ran down the gap between it and the middle layer before dripping out of the bottom, keeping him perfectly dry.

🙁

I only really chatted to Andy via email about some photos of mine he was using in the new version of Scottish Winter Climbing a few years ago, and never really face to face, but he was a genuine all round legend and will be missed by many I’m sure.
The last person I expected to hear had died winter climbing.

. Still remember his ancient and entirely de-laminated Goretex cagoule. He claimed all the water went through the outer layer and then ran down the gap between it and the middle layer before dripping out of the bottom, keeping him perfectly dry.

That’s basically the design of the Keela mountain jackets 🙂