Peak achievement at Eltham College

The school has honoured George Band (OE 1937-47) for his remarkable mountaineering feats by naming its new indoor climbing wall after him

Posted by Julian Owen | December 01, 2017 | Interiors

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• #everest

Eltham College's new climbing wall, situated in the Eric Liddell Sports Centre, has been named in honour of former pupil and mountaineering ace, George Band. It was funded through the generous support of the Eltham College Parents’ Association in order to give students the opportunity to experience the thrill of scaling the heights in a safe and fun environment during games lessons.

There are also opportunities for the more adventurous to join the Eltham College Climbing and Mountaineering society, led by Mr Houghton, who is MTLA registered. 

George Band

With different levels of difficulty within each climb, the new wall offers students a challenging and exciting route as they conquer each level. Each term the configuration of the handholds on the wall will be altered so that there is always a new climb for students to attempt. 

George Band (1929 –2011), who was Head Boy in his final year at Eltham College, is most famous for being the youngest member of the celebrated Hillary-Tensing team, which conquered Mount Everest in 1953. George Band was also the first person to climb Mount Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world.