Case Brian David

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Biografie:
Brian David Case 1943-1987
Brian's range of friends in the climbing world never ceased to amaze me. On meeting another climber for the first time, one always searches for common experiences and common friends. More often than not, among contemporaries, Chase would be a memorable figure. Typically, stories would be told about a long lean figure, with a dry sense of humour and a loud and infectious laugh, lounging on the Chamonix camp-site, or in a bar, passing time with and entertaining whoever happened to be there. He could give an air of contented indolence which only disappeared when an opportunity to climb presented itself; then he would shamble off, still seemingly unconcerned, but provide a drive and determination which usually took his team safely over the mountain.
He started climbing young, as one of a number of pupils from Derby School whom Bob Pettigrew introduced to climbing. From early beginnings on gritstone he developed into other areas, and in 1961, together with a group of other novices, organized and executed a first alpine season in Arolla and Saas Fee. By the time he went to read Natural Sciences at Cambridge in 1963 he was a highly competent mountaineer, as was demonstrated by his tally of 16 routes in Chamonix the following summer, notable amongst which was an early British
ascent of the NW ridge of the Grands Charmoz. The next year he joined a Keele University expedition to the Cordillera Carabaya, which made 11 first ascents on various peaks. A couple of notable alpine seasons followed, culminating in ascents of the Route Major and N face of the Triolet in 1967, on the basis of which he was elected to the Alpine Climbing Group.
At Cambridge he was an active member of the Mountaineering Club, playing a leading part in both its climbing and its more notorious gastronomic/alcoholic activities.
Despite being President of the Club he managed to take a good degree, and moved on to Imperial College, London, where he did research in applied physics and became involved in the London climbing scene. He also took part in the Innominate Mountaineering Club Swat Kohistan expedition in 1968, making what at the time was believed to be the first ascent of Miangul Sar.
In 1970 he moved to Hampshire to work as a research engineer for IBM. Thereafter, a new career, and a happy marriage, took him away from serious climbing for a number of years. When he re-emerged at an Alpine Club meet in 1979 he brought old habits and skills to enliven the more traditional side of mountaineering, leading parties up routes such as the Frontier Ridge of Mont Blanc du Tacul, the Whymper Couloir on the Aiguille Verte and the Täschhorn-Dom traverse.
The cancer which was finally to kill him first appeared in 1983, stopping a much-planned trip to the Karakoram. However, it did nothing to dampen his zest for life and new experiences, and he managed to find time to add caving and diving to his mountaineering and to his busy home and professional lives. He Joined the Club's Garhwal meet in 1986, and was in the first party up Thelu (6002m) and Saife (6166m).
The pleasure of being on the mountains with him was that you could certainly reckon to have an enjoyable day, and generally a successful one. While slightly larger than life in many ways, he retained a low-key and modest approach (I only became aware of many of his achievements in writing this note). His self-professed and seemingly genuine air of indolence concealed a sense of determination which when harnessed made him unstoppable; when you climbed with him, it was usually with success. We did an unpleasant route on the Alphubel (the NW ridge) as an approach to the Tiischhorn. It started badly when I fell off leading and was held only by the accidental jamming of a knot (Chase: 'I'm glad about that; I didn't have a belay'). Next he got off route and caused a stonefall which cut both ropes in the middle (Chase: 'Well, we'll have to climb on four ropes now'). Thereafter a stonefall just missed breaking my kneecap (Chase: 'It didn't do any real damage, did it?'). The idea of retreating never really occurred to us, and we went on to do the Täsch-Dom traverse the next day.
We all miss him, remembering some very entertaining and exhilarating times. Our sympathy goes to his wife Elaine and daughter Lisa.
Stephen Town
Quelle: Alpine Journal Volume 93, 1988-89, Seite 322-323


Geboren am:
1943
Gestorben am:
1987