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 Jim WhittakerJim will be signing his book, A Life on the Edge, on Saturday at the festival. On May 1, 1963 Jim Whittaker became the first American to summit Everest. But it was on northwest peaks like Mt. Rainier where his passion for mountaineering was born. A member of the Boy Scouts in Seattle, it wasn't long before he and his brother Lou, graduated to the Mountaineers Club of Seattle. The club, whose mission is to “explore, study, preserve and enjoy the natural beauty of the outdoors,” provided Jim and his brother Lou with the necessary training to begin attempting peaks far away from their home in the Northwest. Jim Whittaker's meteoric rise to fame was due to the American public's ability to identify with a man from humble beginnings who through hard work and determination accomplished his goals. The famous photograph of him on the summit of Everest, waiving the American flag graced numerous magazine covers, solidifying his place in history as a true American hero. Jim also served as the President of Recreation Equipment Cooperative (REI), having started with the company as its sole employee in the early 1960s. Jim helped the company grow into its present day status as the most recognized name in outdoor retail. Before the 1963 American Everest expedition, there weren't a great many Americans pursuing high altitude peaks. Jim, along with the other men on the expedition helped to establish American Mountaineering as we know it today. |
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