A Dundee mountaineer has died after apparently being caught in an avalanche in an Angus glen.
Douglas Lang (69) had been climbing alone in the Coire Fee area of Glen Doll. The alarm was raised by his family when he did not return at the expected time.
Tayside Police and Tayside Mountain Rescue teams, supported by a search and rescue helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth, began searching for him late on Friday night. Police confirmed on Sunday that a body had been found below a gully on Saturday morning, buried in avalanche debris. Formal identification has yet to take place.
A colleague of Mr Lang paid tribute to him on Sunday. Graeme Hunter, who climbed with him many times, said Mr Lang was one of Scotland’s top mountaineers in the late 1960s and 1970s.
He had made many first ascents, notably Ardverikie Wall on Binnein Shuas and routes on Creag-an-Dubh-Loch, Lochnagar and Creag Meagaidh. He also made the first ascent of the Great Stac of Handa in Sutherland with Mr Hunter and Hamish MacInnes.
Mr Lang was president of the Scottish Mountaineering Club between 1992 and 1994.
Mr Hunter said, “He was a real character and a real enthusiast and he was very active in the mountains. He was so well known throughout Scotland through the mountaineering club.
“I am shocked the guy’s gone. I am not sure what’s happened yet but he was most competent and had climbed at the highest level on rock and ice. It looks like he had done a route on his own and just got caught out on his way down.”
Mr Lang, of Perth Road, formerly ran a tool design company. He is survived by his wife Denise and daughter Hilary.
As in all cases of sudden death, a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal. However, police said there were no suspicious circumstances.