John Caradoc Jones or "Crag" Jones (born 1962) is a Welsh mountaineer.

On 23 May 1995, Jones became the first Welshman to reach the summit of Mount Everest (and the 724th overall).[1][2] Jones was part of a larger expedition led by British climber Henry Todd, but he made his ascent from the Tibetan side (i.e. north east ridge) as part of a lightweight pairing with Michael Knakkergaard Jørgensen [da], the first Dane to summit Everest; the pair had spent 10-weeks acclimatising.[1][3]

Jones has climbed all over the world, and has made a diverse range of first ascents including with Mick Fowler on Hunza Peak in Pakistan (1991),[4] with Fowler again with Yes, Please (E3 6a) on Yesnaby Castle sea-stack in Orkney (1996), and a solo climb of the highest peak of Three Brothers, South Georgia (2001).[2] Jones has also undertaken exploratory expeditions, such as in 2005 with Julian Freeman-Attwood, Rich Howarth, and Skip Novak, when they completed a 17-day south–north traverse of South Georgia, which also included a first ascent of Peak 5680.[5]

Jones was born and raised in Pontrhydfendigaid, a village near Tregaron, Ceredigion, in Wales.[1] In 1982, he graduated with a degree in marine biology at Bangor University,[3] and in-between climbing expeditions, Jones has worked in fisheries including in the Falklands and in South Georgia.[6] He now lives with his wife and children in Helsby, Cheshire, working as a freelance fisheries consultant.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Cerys, Nia (21 May 2020). "Mount Everest: Caradog Jones marks 25 years since ascent". BBC News. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Frodsham man becomes first Welshman to stand on summit of Everest". Cheshire Live. 14 July 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  3. ^ a b Sterling, Sarah (20 May 2020). "The Curious Story of the First Welsh Person to Summit Everest". British Mountaineering Council. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  4. ^ Fowler, Mick (1992). "ASIA, PAKISTAN, ULTAR (BOJOHAGUR DUANASIR II) ATTEMPT AND HUNZA PEAK ASCENT". American Alpine Journal. 34 (56). Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  5. ^ Freeman-Attwood, Julian (2005). "Antartica, South Georgia, Larsen Harbour to Royal Bay Traverse, and first ascent of Peak 5,680". American Alpine Journal. 47 (49). Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  6. ^ "In Conversation with Caradoc Jones" (PDF). Bangor University. 2020. p. 11-15. Retrieved 18 January 2023.

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