Eric Jones

Who is Eric Jones?

Eric Jones is a Welsh solo climber, skydiver and BASE jumper.

He is most well known for the first British solo ascent of the north face of the Eiger, and for his climbs on the Matterhorn and South Col on Everest. He has also climbed the Central Pillar of Brouillard on Mt Blanc and Bonatti Pillar on the Dru.

Raised on a farm near Ruthin in north Wales, he attended Ysgol Brynhyfryd and as a boy was interested in parachuting and skydiving, and later wanted to sign up with the Parachute Regiment. However, an earlier injury - a result of a motorbike accident - led to him joining the Military Police.

Jones took up skydiving in 1961 and a year later, at the age of 26, began climbing. He climbed extensively in Snowdonia and the Lake District, followed by climbs in Italy. He took up solo climbing when his climbing partner became less available, and found that it gave him the freedom to move quicker, though also brought greater risks.

Many of his exploits, such as the Eiger ascent and the Matterhorn ascent, have been filmed by award winning cameraman Leo Dickinson. Jones and Dickinson, with 2 other climbers, made the first complete film of the Eiger climb in 1970, with Jones' first British solo ascent following in 1981, resulting in the acclaimed film "Eiger Solo".