Haston was born in Currie, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, and educated at West Calder High School. Early in his career he climbed numerous new Scottish routes with Robin Smith. Routes such as The Bat on the Carn Dearg Buttress of Ben Nevis helped establish the pair as future stars. Smith died in an accident in 1963. But Haston lived on to realize his early promise. In 1970, he and Don Whillans were the first to climb the south face of Annapurna on an expedition led by Chris Bonington, and in 1975 he and Doug Scott were the first pair to summit Mount Everest by the south-west face, also led by Bonington. Haston's memorial in Currie mistakenly claims he was the first British climber to ascend the north face of the Eiger. In fact, it was done by Bonington and Ian Clough in 1962, but he made the first ascent of the Nordwand by the direttissima, or most direct route, in 1966 with Jörg Lehne, Günther Strobel, Roland Votteler and Siegfried Hupfauer. American John Harlin was killed when a rope broke; the route was subsequently named in Harlin's memory. Adding guiding and instruction to his quiver, Haston became director of the at Leysin, Switzerland, in 1967. Taking over from the founder, John Harlin, it was a position he maintained until his death in a skiing accident in 1977. In 1975, Haston was credited as an adviser on the movie The Eiger Sanction, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood. He may also have appeared briefly in the film, although he is not mentioned in the credits in an acting role. At 1:26:25, a waiter appears in a restaurant scene ; he speaks a line in a distinctively 'Edinburgh' accent, then leaves. Haston was killed in an avalanche in January 1977 while skiing alone above Leysin on the north-east face of La Riondaz to the Col Luisset. It appeared that he had been choked by his scarf. He is buried in Leysin.
Quotations
"Self-failure you have to accept, bitter though it can be." Dougal Haston quoted in the book "Everest the Hard Way" by Chris Bonington. "In winter, the mountains seem to regain their primitive, virginal pride, and no more do the howling, littering summer masses tramp their more accessible slopes." — Dougal Haston quoted in Jeff Connors' biography "...that most impenetrable of big walls, the mind of Dougal Haston." — from a review of Connors' biography. "ethics are like erections: No matter how well intentioned they might be they are prone to sudden deflation." — Dougal Haston quoted in Will Steffen's Himalayan Dreaming
