Jim Whittaker, the Seattle-born mountaineering legend who became the first American to stand on the summit of Mount Everest, died on April 7 at his home in Port Townsend. He was 97.
His family said he “passed away peacefully at his home in Port Townsend on the night of April 7, surrounded by family and loved ones,” according to a statement to KOMO. The statement lists his wife, Dianne Roberts, and sons Bob, Joss and Leif among survivors, and noted his longtime role in the Pacific Northwest climbing community.
Whittaker rose to national prominence on May 1, 1963, when he and Sherpa Nawang Gombu reached the summit of Mount Everest, making him the first American to do so, as reported by AP News. The climb turned a local Northwest climber into a national figure and led to recognition at the White House.
A Near Miss on the Roof of the World
The 1963 push to the top was anything but a casual hike. KOMO reports that Whittaker and Gombu ran out of supplemental oxygen near the summit and kept climbing even after their water bottles froze, an ordeal Whittaker later said shaped his deep gratitude for life. The harrowing details helped turn that ascent into a touchstone in American climbing history.
From REI Shop Floor to Guiding Giant
Whittaker was the first full-time paid employee at Recreational Equipment, Inc. and later served as the co-op’s CEO, helping grow REI from a small Seattle outfit into a national force, according to REI. The Whittaker twins also helped shape the local guiding culture; Lou’s founding of Rainier Mountaineering Inc. helped professionalize guiding on Mount Rainier, per RMI.
Among his proudest moments, Whittaker led 10 disabled climbers to the summit of Mount Rainier in 1981, an ascent he later called “Mount Everest” for those climbers, AP News reported. Even as the sport evolved, he remained a visible voice on questions of safety, access and the spirit of exploration.
Whittaker leaves a long shadow over the Pacific Northwest’s outdoor scene. Guides, retailers and generations of climbers trace parts of the region’s modern mountaineering culture back to his climbs, his leadership at REI and his public life. Tributes from local organizations and colleagues are expected in the coming days.
