Smythe, Francis Sydney (1900-1949), was a noted British mountaineer, author, and photographer. He set up several new routes on the Brenvan Face of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps, in 1927 and 1928. In 1930, he took part in an attempt on Kanchenjunga, a Himalayan peak that ranks as the third highest mountain in the world. In 1931, he led a successful attempt on Mount Kamet, one of the highest mountains in the Himalaya. He took part in the Mount Everest expeditions of 1933, 1936, and 1938, and discovered the direct route to the top of the west side of the North Col. Smythe wrote several books that were praised by both mountaineers and the general reading public. They included Climbs and Ski Runs (1929), Kamet Conquered (1932), and Camp Six (1937).