A Glasgow climber who used his teeth to tear through a tent to set his friend free during an avalanche has been awarded The Scottish Youth Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture.
Twenty-three year-old Tim Miller was mountaineering in Pakistan with two of his friends before they were caught in the horror avalanche.
Tim and his fellow Glaswegian friend Bruce Norman were both sleeping in a tent close to the peak of Ultar Sar when the disaster struck. Tim broke through the tent material with his teeth, climbed his way through six feet of snow then dug Norman out from beneath.
Tragically the third partner on the trip, Christian Huber from Austria, was killed.
The Daily Record reported that the two were left for two days 19,000 feet up Ultar Sar in their broken tent before they were rescued by the 5th Pakistan Army Aviation Squadron.
The two were airlifted to hospital and it was reported that neither of them sustained any injuries.
It is widely recognised that Ultar Sar is one of the most challenging mountains to conquer in the world and was only climbed for the first time 23 years ago.
Tim was given the award earlier this week, 19 months after the terrifying experience on Ultar Sar in June 2018.
Following his passion, he now works at The Glasgow Academy as a volunteer climbing instructor and a graduate of Earth and Science (BSc) from The University of Glasgow.
Tim is the sixth person to ever receive The Scottish Youth Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture, which celebrates adventurous young people, the landscapes they choose to explore and the outdoor experiences in where they excel.
The announcement of this year's excellence award was made by West Highland College UHI and The Fort William Mountain Festival.
Tim said: "I am really delighted and humbled to be receiving the Youth Mountain Culture Award this year.
"It has come as a big surprise and it was a lovely gesture by Rob MacKenzie [2017 youth winner] to nominate me.
Well done also to Colin Prior on his Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture."
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Rod Pashley, chairman of The Highland Mountain Culture Association, organisers of the Fort William Mountain Festival, said:
"What is striking about Tim Miller is his countless achievements on such a rapid journey; his development and honing of technical mountaineering skills and abilities and his mountaineering experiences that have taken him to the Greater Ranges."
"What is also striking, and one that would no doubt be expected from a professional mountaineer, is his passion and love of the outdoor environment; the sharing of it; the engagement with others and the understanding of the power of mountain culture and the benefits of engaging with it at whatever level."
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