Jim Whittaker, first American to summit Everest, dies aged 97

Seattle: Jim Whittaker, the celebrated climber who became the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest, has died at the age of 97.

Whittaker passed away on Tuesday at his home in Port Townsend, according to a statement from his family.

In a tribute, his son Leif Whittaker said his father “sought to share adventure, joy, and optimism” wherever he went, adding that his “warmth, humility, and belief in the power of nature to bring people together” left a lasting legacy.

Whittaker made history in 1963 when he summited Everest alongside Nawang Gombu, a decade after the first successful ascent by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. The achievement helped spark widespread interest in mountaineering across the United States and turned the once-reserved climber into a national figure.

Beyond his climbing feats, Whittaker played a key role in the growth of outdoor retailer REI. Joining the co-operative in 1955 as its first full-time employee, he later served as president and chief executive from 1971 to 1979, overseeing a surge in membership.

He also became a prominent advocate for conservation, contributing to the establishment of protected areas including North Cascades National Park, Pasayten Wilderness and Redwood National Park.

Whittaker’s prominence brought him into contact with leading political figures, including Robert F. Kennedy, with whom he formed a close friendship. The pair climbed together in Canada, and a peak later named Mount Kennedy commemorated Kennedy after his assassination in 1968. Whittaker was present at his bedside when he died.

Background

Born in Seattle, Whittaker developed a passion for climbing alongside his twin brother, Lou Whittaker, during their youth in the Boy Scouts. The brothers summited Mount Olympus as teenagers, on the very day the end of the World War II was being celebrated.

Over a long career, Whittaker led numerous expeditions, including the 1990 International Peace Climb on Everest, which brought together climbers from the United States, the Soviet Union and China to promote cooperation.

Among his proudest achievements was a 1981 expedition guiding 10 disabled climbers to the summit of Mount Rainier — a mountain he climbed more than 100 times.

Reflecting on the risks of mountaineering, he once observed that even familiar terrain could quickly become dangerous, noting that changing conditions could “turn a good climber into a beginner” within hours.

Washington state governor Jay Inslee paid tribute, saying Whittaker’s legacy was “just as impressive, and just as lasting, as Mount Rainier itself”.

After a lifetime spent on some of the world’s highest peaks, Whittaker once said he hoped to “die in my sleep with the television on”.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Dianne Roberts, his sons Bob, Joss and Leif, as well as grandchildren and a great-grandchild.