In 1980 he, Dr. Michael Ward and Alan Rouse were among the first Europeans to visit China when they re-opened some of their mountain areas to foreign mountaineers. They made a reconnaissance of Mount Kongur, a remote unclimbed mountain in Western Xinjiang, and returned again in 1981 for the successful ascent of the 25,325 ft. peak accomplished by Bonington, Peter Boardman, Joe Tasker and Alan Rouse - which is graphically described in his book, KONGUR, CHINA'S ELUSIVE SUMMIT.In 1982 Bonington, together with Peter Boardman, Joe Tasker and Dick Renshaw, attempted the long unclimbed North East Ridge of Everest without oxygen. Renshaw had to retire when he suffered a mild stroke (diagnosed by Charles Clarke, the expedition's doctor) and Bonington decided that as he was moving so much slower than either Boardman or Tasker at high altitude, they should go for the top on their own. Tragically they both disappeared on what Bonington described as 'the happiest expedition any of us had been on' and it was abandoned.

1983 proved to be a full and successful year with the first ascent of the West Summit of Shivling (21,330 ft.), in the Gangotri Himalaya in India, climbed alpine-style in five days and then a fascinating expedition to Antarctica with an American team to climb Mount Vinson (l6,800 ft.), its highest peak. In temperatures down to -35C and with winds of over 50 miles an hour, the other members of the team turned back and Bonington reached the summit by himself. He then dropped back to support his companions in their successful attempt a few days later. This, therefore, is the only British ascent of this mountain.

In June of 1984, Bonington, together with Al Rouse and two Pakistani climbers, attempted the unclimbed 24,607 foot Karun Koh in the Karakoram Himalaya but was defeated by bad weather.

Bonington realised a life time's ambition when, in 1985 he reached the summit of Everest as a member of the Norwegian Everest Expedition.

In 1987 and 1988 he led an expedition to Menlungtse, 7150 metres, one of the most beautiful and technically difficult unclimbed peaks in the world. In 1988 the expedition made the first ascent of the West Peak of Menlungtse. In addition they searched for the legendary yeti and were accompanied by a BBC Natural History Unit film team who made a documentary of the search. next