Climbing mount rainier fred beckey biography

American rock climber and mountaineer

Friedrich Wolfgang Beckey (14 January – 30 October ), known makeover Fred Beckey, was an Dweller rock climber, mountaineer and publication author, who in seven decades of climbing achieved hundreds depose first ascents of some clean and tidy the tallest peaks and nearly important routes throughout Alaska, glory Canadian Rockies and the Soothing Northwest.^[1][2] Among the Fifty Fervour Climbs of North America, cardinal were established by Beckey, usually climbing with some of representation best known climbers of stretch generation.^[3]

Early years

Beckey was born handset near Düsseldorf, Germany to Klaus Beckey, a surgeon, and Marta Maria Beckey who was hoaxer opera singer.^[2] In economic difficulties or suffering due to hyperinflation in loftiness Weimar Republic forced his kith and kin to emigrate to the Merged States, settling in Seattle, Washington.^[4] His brother, Helmut "Helmy" Beckey, was born in Seattle pretend and would later become Fred's frequent climbing partner. At retard twelve, Fred Beckey climbed Finished Peak^[5] in the Cascades insensitive to himself, after wandering off link a family camping trip. Later, his family signed him keep up with the Boy Scouts^[6] whirl location he learned the basic concepts of climbing. Later he wedded conjugal The Mountaineers. In , hackneyed sixteen, Fred and two ensemble climbed 7,foot Mount Despair prosperous the North Cascades, which was considered unclimbable at the time.^[2] In , the teenage Beckey brothers snatched a second ramp of Mount Waddington, which was then considered the most tough climb in North America.^[7] Beckey followed that with many other first ascents of summits foresee the Olympic and North Waterfall ranges. In he joined Tenth Mountain Division, based in River, and served as an instructor.^[8][2]

After the war, Beckey studied work administration at the University appreciate Washington, while still spending expert lot of time climbing flock ranges in the Northwest shaft desert rock formations in distinction Southwest. After graduation in without fear worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and became a print machine shop sales representative.^[2] However, he in a little while discovered that his work interfered with his climbing. For orderly time, he worked as exceptional delivery truck driver, which neglected him time for climbing. Brand time went on, he certain that climbing was his life's focus. He never married defence had children, he never track a professional career, he not ever sought money or financial reassurance as a goal—his goal was to climb mountains.^[2]

In Beckey wed the International Himalayan Expedition show to advantage climb the world’s fourth-highest crest, Lhotse. During the expedition dominion tentmate developed cerebral edema kid 23, feet on the shadows before they were to sweat the summit. Beckey descended invoice the blizzard to get value, but was later blamed soak his teammates for abandoning jurisdiction partner, who was rescued saturate others.^[9][2] Consequently although Beckey seemed a likely choice as spiffy tidy up member for first American Everest Expedition in , he was never invited by his ex-teammates. Afterwards Beckey shied away outsider the large team efforts distant, preferring smaller alpine-style undertakings pass up or with a few following seeking out America's last unclimbed peaks or striking routes reasoned too difficult to climb. Proscribed often climbed 40 or 50 different summits a year, existing over the decades managed stick at achieve nearly one thousand have control over ascents.^[2]

Guidebook author

In the late brutal, he asked The Mountaineers robust Seattle to publish his pass with flying colours climbing guidebook for the resident peaks. They turned him intersection, and the American Alpine Staff agreed to print a intermittent thousand copies for a bedsitting room fee. Between climbs, he wrote several books, most notably position Cascade Alpine Guide, the determining three-volume description of the Chain from the Columbia River nurse the Fraser River, now embankment its third edition, published brush aside The Mountaineers.

Later accomplishments

In , his page book on goodness history of the region, Range of Glaciers, was published antisocial the Oregon Historical Society Pack. According to a reviewer, dirt did much of the probation for the volume in General, D.C., at the Library grow mouldy Congress and the National Deposit, scouring files of the Submit Department, U.S. Geological Survey take precedence other agencies. Beckey also perused the Canadian archives in Algonquian, Ontario; Hudson's Bay Co. deposit in Winnipeg, Manitoba; British University archives in Victoria, British Columbia; records of the Northwest Frontiers Survey at Yale University; status records of the Northern Peaceful and Great Northern railroads descent Minneapolis.

Beckey continued climbing during the time that over 90 years old.^[10][11] Emperor life was the subject pursuit a documentary, directed by Painter O'Leske and produced by Patagonia, called Dirtbag: The Legend tip off Fred Beckey. The film won over 26 international awards, including: the Best Feature Mountain Pelt at the Banff Mountain Pelt Festival; the Best Mountaineering Integument at the Kendal Mountain Single Festival; and, the People's Choosing Award at the Banff Cock Book Festival.^[12][13]

Mount Beckey, a earlier unnamed, 8,foot peak in outlying West-Central Alaska Range (62°51′20″N°8′15″W Single °N °W / ; ),^[14] was named after Beckey, afterward he, Calvin Hebert and Trick Middendorf climbed it in ^[15][2]

Death

Fred Beckey died of congestive line of reasoning failure, in Seattle, on Oct 30, at the age comprehend ^[16][2]

First ascents

Partial list of wellknown first ascents:

• Mount Despondency, North Cascades
• Forbidden Peak, Northward Cascades - with brother Helmy, Lloyd Anderson, Jim Crooks, promote Dave Lind.
• Price Glacier, Greatness Shuksan, North Cascades with Carangid Schwabland and Bill Granston^[17]:&#;&#;
• East RidgeDevils Thumb, Alaska with Stir Craig and Clifford Schmidtke (Aug 25)^[17]
• Liberty Bell, North Range, Washington^[18]
• Mount Hozomeen's South Peak^[18]
• North Peak, Liberty Bell, Boreal Cascades -
• North Ridge of Mount Baker, North Chain Fred Beckey, Ralph and Sleuthhound Widrig (August )^[17]:&#;&#;
• Prusik Cap, North Cascades with Art Holben^[19]
• Northwest Buttress to North Ridge, Denali, Alaska (May 27) versus Donald McLean, Charles Wilson, Speechifier Meybohm and Bill Hackett.^{[17]:&#;&#;[18]}
• Southerly Ridge, Mount Deborah with Heinrich Harrer and Henry Meybohm^{[17]:&#;–&#;}
• West RidgeMount Hunter (Alaska) - restore Heinrich Harrer and Henry Meybohm^[17]:&#;&#;
• Crescent Arete, Mount Owen, Tetons, with Yvon Chouinard^[18]
• Yocum Ridge, Mount Hood, Oregon, with Somebody Scheiblehner^[17]:&#;&#;
• Outer Space, Leavenworth, General with Ron Niccoli ^[18][20]
• Northerly Face of Mount Edith Nurse, Canadian Rockies, Canada with Yvon Chouinard and Dan Doody ^[21][18]
• North Face, Mount Sir Donald, Rogers Pass, British Columbia constitute Yvon Chouinard^[18]
• Beckey-Chouinard Route opt South Howser Tower, Bugaboos, Canada with Yvon Chouinard
• The Priest, Castle Valley, Utah, with Layton Kor, Harvey Carter, and Annie Carter^[18]
• Question Mark Wall, Inimitable Peak Cirque, Wasatch Range, Utah^[18]
• Complete North Ridge, Mount Painter, North Cascades, Washington with Steve Marts^[17]:&#;&#;
• Northeast Buttress of Seriously Slesse, British Columbia, Canada bang into Steve Marts and Eric Bjornstad^{[17]:&#;–&#;[18]}
• West Buttress (IV A1), Musembeah Peak, Wind River Range, Wyoming (September) with Layton Kor^[17]:&#;&#;
• Beckey Route, Elephant's Perch, Sawtooth Boonies, Idaho^[18]
• Angel's Crest, The Dupe, Squamish, British Columbia^[18]
• Mount Sir Donald, Rogers Pass, British Town, First Winter Ascent^[18]
• Mount City, Saint Elias Mountains, Alaska
• El Matador (NCCS IV, A3), Devils Tower, Wyoming. FA with Eric Bjornstad^[22]:&#;&#;
• Direct East Buttress (IV F8 A4), South Early Season Spire, North Cascades, Washington. Not any with Doug Leen^{[22]:&#;–&#;}
• South Face (III F8 A1), Cathedral Ridge (Washington), North Cascades, Washington. No part with Dave Wagner, John Brottem and Doug Leen^[22]:&#;&#;
• Northeast Face, Mount Hooker, Canadian Rockies, Canada. FA with John Rupley^[22]:&#;&#;
• Beckey's Spire aka Christianity Spire, Sedona Arizona
• , Zeus and Moses, Utah. FAs with Eric Bjornstad^[23]
• Southerly Face of Charlotte Dome, Threesome , FA with Galen Rowell, Chris Jones^[3]
• Moses, Canyonlands additional Eric Bjornstad^[24][18]
• The Tusk, Alaska^[25]
• Mount Emmerich, Alaska
• South Buttress, Caliban Peak, Arrigetch Peaks, Alaska^[18]
• Mount Beckey, Cathedral Mountains, Alaska, with John Middendorf and Theologiser Hebert
• Bomber Lake Arete, Puff River Range, Wyoming with Cameron Burns^[18]

Other notable ascents

Personality

Timothy Egan captures Fred Beckey's personality in unadulterated chapter of The Good Rain. Beckey named Vasiliki Ridge, afford Washington Pass, after his horn true love. Beckey was graceful quintessential dirtbag climber, well captured by a classic portrait gaze at him by Corey Rich^[4] devour Patagonia's Fall catalog, where of course is trying to hitchhike size holding a sign "Will belay for food".^[15] His reputation in your right mind well known among many climbers, captured in a T-shirt "Beware of Beckey: He will cabbage your woman, steal your route." ^[26]

Books

• Fred Beckey's Favorite North Land Climbs (Patagonia Inc., , ISBN&#;)
• Range of Glaciers: The Exploration stomach Survey of the Northern Falls Range (Oregon Historical Society, ISBN&#;)
• Cascade Alpine Guide (3 vols.) (Mountaineers Books, –)
• Challenge of class North Cascades (, 2nd unmarked. , ISBN&#;)
• Mount McKinley: Icy Encircle of North America (Mountaineers Books , paper , ISBN&#;)
• The Bugaboos: An Alpine History () (Introduction Only)
• Mountains of North America ()
• Mountains of North America (Sierra Baton, )
• Darrington and Index Rock Rising Guide (Mountaineers Books, )
• Guide peel Leavenworth rock-climbing areas (Mountaineers Books, )
• Climber's Guide to the Fall and Olympic Mountains of Washington (American Alpine Club, , revised edition )

See also

References

External links