Dennis Gray was born 1935 in Yorkshire and started climbing when he was 11, after seeing the great Arthur Dolphin in action at Cow and Calf rocks on Ilkley Moor.

When called up for National Service Gray volunteered to work as a pay clerk and was posted to Manchester, where he was able to climb with the Rock and Ice club members on a regular basis.

He has climbed with some of the best British climbers of the day; Tom Patey, Don Whillans, Joe Brown, Harold Drasdo, Robin Campbell, Eli Moriarty, Nat Allen, Slim Sorrell, Ron Moseley and many more.

Gray was on the first ascents of Frisco Bay at Stoney Middleton, Grond on Dinas y Gromlech, Wombat and Macabre at Malham, and North Crag Eliminate on Castle Rock.

After several forays into the Alps, in 1961 Gray was invited to join a group of Derby climbers to the Kulu Himalaya, which led to the first ascent of the Manikaran Spires.