Alex MacIntyre

Alex MacIntyre (5 March 1954 – 17 October 1982) was a British mountaineer in the 1970s. He is known for developing new climbing techniques that enabled ascents not previously accomplished.

MacIntyre was born in Cottingham, East Riding of Yorkshire, to Scottish Catholic parents. His first experience of climbing came after his parents moved to Letchmore Heath while Alex studied for his A-levels at Watford Grammar School. Almost as soon as he entered the school, MacIntyre joined the London Mountaineering Club and frequently went on weekend climbing trips to north Wales. In 1972, he was awarded four grade As at A-level. He then attended Leeds University to study Geography and Economics, later switching to Law.

As a member of the Leeds University Mountaineering Club (LUMC), he developed his climbing skills, along with fellow students John Syrett, Brian Hall and John Powell. After climbing Yorkshire's gritstone, MacIntyre travelled to Scotland to develop his ice climbing technique and understanding of winter climbing conditions. On 14 March 1975, he made a solo ascent of two of the test pieces on Ben Nevis – Zero Gully and Point Five.