Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
| Messages 1 - 3 of total 3 in this topic |
Wild Bill
climber
Ca
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 27, 2007 - 11:55am PT
|
Memorial for Berkeley mountaineer Richard McGowan
Peter Fimrite, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, April 26, 2007
(04-26) 18:18 PDT -- A memorial service will be held Saturday for Richard McGowan, a legendary mountaineer and adventure guide, who was part of 11 major mountain expeditions and is believed to be the first American to set foot on Mount Everest.
Mr. McGowan, who was a pioneer in the manufacture of outdoor equipment, died Feb. 27 at his home in Berkeley after a long battle with leukemia. He was 74.
Born in 1933, he grew up in Seattle and graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in geography. He began his climbing career in 1950 after a brief stint as a teacher. In 1952 and 1953, he made first ascents of Mount Cook, Mount Augusta and King Peak, during expeditions on the St. Elias Range in Alaska and the Yukon.
Mr. McGowan was one of three Americans selected in 1955 for the International Himalayan Expedition. The expedition failed to reach the summit of Mount Everest, but Mr. McGowan's ascent of the treacherous Khumbu Icefall was the first by an American.
He returned to the Seattle area after the expedition and in 1956 became chief guide on Mount Rainier, creating the first modern mountain climbing school. In the decade he spent at Mount Rainier, he climbed the mountain 84 times. He and Gil Blinn held the speed climbing record of six hours and 40 minutes on Rainier from 1959 until it was broken in 1981.
Mr. McGowan was part of the 1960 American Karakoram Expedition, which made the first ascent of Masherbrum in Pakistan. The next year he led the first guided climb of Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America.
In the 1960s, he taught mountaineering classes at the University of Washington and, in 1963, opened the Alpine Hut chain of mountaineering/ski shops in the Seattle and Portland areas. He started his own outdoor equipment manufacturing plant, Mountain Products Corporation, in 1964, designing tents, backpacks and sleeping bags.
He was managing partner of Mountain Travel, now based in Emeryville, until it was sold in 1992 and he founded Next Adventure, a Berkeley company that arranges safaris in Africa and other remote areas of the world.
He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Louise McGowan of Berkeley; son Richard McGowan Jr. of San Jose; daughters Devi McGowan of Walnut Creek, and Kili McGowan of Berkeley; sisters Lorraine Mills of Sedro Woolley, Washington, and Dolores Gregory of Riverside, and two grandchildren
The memorial is scheduled at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Brazilian Room, in Tilden Park.
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Apr 28, 2007 - 02:08pm PT
|
More rough news! Condolences to friends and family and I hope he is resting peacefully now after a long struggle. His name and accomplishments are woven into our early mountaineering history and I'm sure he will be missed.
Thanks for posting Bill.
|
|
Jerry Dodrill
climber
Bodega, CA
|
|
|
Apr 28, 2007 - 03:55pm PT
|
Just realized I met the McGowans at the AAC event at Spengers this past December. My wife and I had a nice chat with Louise in the buffet line. Peace to her and their family/friends.
Jerry
|
|
| Messages 1 - 3 of total 3 in this topic |
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!