Jim Whittaker

Jim Whittaker
Whittaker speaking at the Computer
History Museum in 2005
Born(1929-02-10)February 10, 1929
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
DiedApril 7, 2026(2026-04-07) (aged 97)
Port Townsend, Washington, U.S.
EducationSeattle University
West Seattle High School
OccupationMountaineer
RelativesLou Whittaker (twin brother, 1929–2024)

James Warren Whittaker (February 10, 1929 – April 7, 2026) was an American climber and mountain guide.[1][2][3] On May 1, 1963, he became the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest as a member of the American Mount Everest Expedition led by Norman Dyhrenfurth, alongside the Sherpa Nawang Gombu, a nephew of Tenzing Norgay. They ran out of oxygen, but managed to reach the summit.[4]

Early life

James Warren Whittaker was born on February 10, 1929, in Seattle, Washington.[5][6] Whittaker's father, Charles Whittaker was a traveling salesman for burglar alarms and bank safes. His mother, Horetense Elizabeth (Gant) was a homemaker.[1]

He was the twin brother of Lou Whittaker, a mountain guide who is often mistakenly credited with achieving the 1963 ascent of Everest. In the 1940s, the twins started climbing, taking lessons from the Mountaineers Club of Seattle while in the Boy Scouts.[1][3] A biology major, after graduating from Seattle University, Whittaker and his brother joined the Army. As experienced mountain climbers, they were assigned as Special Forces instructors, teaching Soldiers skiing and mountaineering skills.[1]

Career

On July 25, 1955, Whittaker became the first full-time employee of Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI).[7] as well as an early board member with American Alpine Club president Nicholas Clinch.[8]

On May 1, 1963, Whittaker became the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Accompanied by Sherpa Nawang Gombu, Whittaker planted an American flag at the summit. Upon his return to the United Staes, he became an instant celebrity and was invited to the White House by President John F. Kennedy.[1] Whittaker's ascent subsequently provided REI with so much free advertising that the following year, 1964, its gross income topped US$1 million for the first time.[9]

In 1965, with Dee Molenaar and others, he guided Robert F. Kennedy up the newly named Mount Kennedy. Kennedy and Whittaker became fast friends and spent multiple vacations together. In 1968, he became Kennedy’s state campaign chairman. When Kennedy was shot in Los Angeles, Whittaker immediately flew over to comfort RFK's wife when her brother in law had to shut off life-support.[10]

In 1971, Whittaker was promoted to REI chief executive. Despite internal opposition to expanding beyond Seattle, he eventually succeeded in opening stores across the country, numbering 195 at the time of this death.[1] In 1979, finding himself making more money in endorsements than as the REI chief executive, Whittaker retired from the company.[1]

In 1990, Whittaker led the Earth Day 20 International Peace Climb that brought together climbers from the United States, USSR, and China to summit Mount Everest. In addition to putting twenty climbers on the summit, the expedition removed two tons of trash left on the mountain by previous expeditions.[11]

He was chairman of the Board of Magellan Navigation, a company that produces handheld Global Positioning System (GPS) units.

Whittaker was involved in U.S. congressional testimony, including to help establish North Cascades National Park, Redwood National Park, and the Pasayten Wilderness.[12]

Personal life

Whittaker divorced his wife Blanche (Patterson) Whittaker in 1971, with whom he shared three sons. In 1973, he married Canadian Dianne Roberts, who shared his passion for outdoor adventures. The couple had two additional sons, Leif and Joss.[1] They lived in Port Townsend, Washington.[13]

In 1999, Whittaker released his autobiography, A Life on the Edge: Memoirs of Everest and Beyond. His younger son, Leif Whittaker, published My Old Man and the Mountain: A Memoir in 2016, which relates the story of his own summit of Mount Everest, with his parents accompanying him on part of the journey, and with comparisons to his father's Mount Everest experiences. [14]

Jim Whittaker died in Port Townsend on April 7, 2026, at the age of 97. At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife, Dianne and three of his five sons.[1][6]

Awards and honors

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Hagerty, James R. (April 15, 2026). "Jim Whittaker, Mountaineer Who Turned REI Into a National Retailer, Dies at 97". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
  2. ^ "EverestHistory.com: Jim Whittaker". Archived from the original on May 13, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2007.
  3. ^ a b "Brothers synonymous with mountain climbing in Northwest". Reading Eagle. Associated Press. March 13, 1983. p. 43.
  4. ^ Shnayerson, Michael (May 2003). "Jim Whittaker, Back on Earth". National Geographic Adventure Magazine. Archived from the original on June 18, 2003. Retrieved May 7, 2007.
  5. ^ "Mountain Climbing: Yes, I Will". TIME. May 16, 1963. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  6. ^ a b Almond, Elliott (April 8, 2026). "Famed mountaineer Jim Whittaker, first American atop Mount Everest, dies at 97". Cascadia Daily News. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  7. ^ Martinez, Amy. "Eddie Bauer looks to mountaineer Jim Whittaker for turnaround help". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  8. ^ "American Alpine Club Past President Nick Clinch Passes Away". American Alpine Club. June 15, 2016. Archived from the original on June 16, 2018. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  9. ^ Kjeldsen, Jim (1998). The Mountaineers: A History. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books. pp. 108–113.
  10. ^ Ron Judd, Robert F. Kennedy and Jim Whittaker’s lofty friendship recounted in SIFF film, The Seattle Times, June 6, 2018
  11. ^ "Everest: Raising awareness about global environmental issues - Sept 17". The Mountaineers. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  12. ^ "Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mount Everest, dies at 97". www.npr.org. National Public Radio. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  13. ^ https://ptleader.com/articles/featured-stories/from-everest-to-port-townsend/
  14. ^ "Leif Whittaker's memoir: climbing Everest, in his father's footsteps". The Seattle Times. November 10, 2016. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  15. ^ "Jim Whittaker, first American to Mount Everest summit, dies aged 97". BBC News. April 9, 2026. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
  16. ^ "Big Jim Mountain". Bivouac.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  17. ^ "Wilderness Peak Loop". Washington Trails Association. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  18. ^ "COUGAR'S WILDERNESS PEAK TRAIL GOES TO NEW HEIGHTS TO HONOR LOCAL LEGENDARY CLIMBER JIM WHITTAKER". King County Parks. May 2, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
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