Friedrich Wolfgang Beckey (14 January 1923 – 30 October 2017), known as Fred Beckey, was an American rock climber,
mountaineer
Mountaineering or alpinism, is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending tall mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, an ...
and book author, who in seven decades of climbing achieved hundreds of
first ascent
In mountaineering, a first ascent (abbreviated to FA in guide books) is the first successful, documented attainment of the top of a mountain or the first to follow a particular climbing route. First mountain ascents are notable because they en ...
s of the tallest peaks and best routes in remote corners of Alaska, the
Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies (french: Rocheuses canadiennes) or Canadian Rocky Mountains, comprising both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies, is the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. It is the easternmost part ...
and the
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...
.
[ Among the ]Fifty Classic Climbs of North America
''Fifty Classic Climbs of North America'' is a climbing guidebook and history written by Steve Roper and Allen Steck. It is considered a classic piece of climbing literature, known to many climbers as simply "The Book", and has served as an inspi ...
, seven were established by Beckey, often climbing with some of the best known climbers of each generation.
Early years
Beckey was born in 1923 near Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in th ...
, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
to Klaus Beckey, a surgeon, and Marta Maria Beckey who was an opera singer.[ In 1925 economic hardships due to ]hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic
Hyperinflation affected the German Papiermark, the currency of the Weimar Republic, between 1921 and 1923, primarily in 1923. It caused considerable internal political instability in the country, the occupation of the Ruhr by France and Belgium, ...
forced his family to emigrate to the United States, settling up in Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
. His brother, Helmut "Helmy" Beckey, was born in Seattle in 1926 and would later become Fred's frequent climbing partner. At age twelve, Fred Beckey climbed Boulder Peak in the Cascades by himself, after wandering off on a family camping trip. Afterwards, his family signed him up with the Boy Scouts
Boy Scouts may refer to:
* Boy Scout, a participant in the Boy Scout Movement.
* Scouting, also known as the Boy Scout Movement.
* An organisation in the Scouting Movement, although many of these organizations also have female members. There are ...
where he learned the basic concepts of climbing. Later he joined The Mountaineers club. In 1939, at sixteen, Fred and two friends climbed 7,292-foot Mount Despair in the North Cascades, which was considered unclimbable at the time.[ In 1942, the teenage Beckey brothers snatched a second ascent of ]Mount Waddington
Mount Waddington, once known as Mystery Mountain, is the highest peak in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Although it is lower than Mount Fairweather and Mount Quincy Adams, which straddle the United States border between Alask ...
, which was then considered the most difficult climb in North America. Beckey follow that by many more first ascents of summits in the Olympic and North Cascade ranges. In 1942 he joined 10th Mountain Division, based in Colorado, and served as an instructor.[
After the war, Beckey studied ]business administration
Business administration, also known as business management, is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization. From the point of view of management ...
at the University of Washington
The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington.
Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seattle a ...
, while still spending a lot of time climbing mountain ranges in the Northwest and desert rock formations in the Southwest. After graduation in 1949 he worked for the ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'' (popularly known as the ''Seattle P-I'', the ''Post-Intelligencer'', or simply the ''P-I'') is an online newspaper and former print newspaper based in Seattle, Washington, United States.
The newspaper was foun ...
'' and became a print shop sales representative. However, he soon discovered that his work interfered with his climbing. For a time, he worked as a delivery truck driver, which left him time for climbing. As time went on, he decided that climbing was his life's focus. He never married or had children, he never pursued a professional career, he never sought money or financial security as a goal—his goal was to climb mountains.[
In 1955 Beckey joined the International Himalayan Expedition to climb the world’s fourth-highest peak, ]Lhotse
Lhotse ( ne, ल्होत्से ; , ''lho tse'', ) is the fourth highest mountain in the world at , after Mount Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga. The main summit is on the border between Tibet Autonomous Region of China and the Khumbu ...
. During the expedition his tentmate developed cerebral edema at 23,000 feet on the night before they were to attempt the summit. Beckey descended in the blizzard to get help, but was later blamed by his teammates for abandoning his partner, who was rescued by others.[ Consequently although Beckey seemed a likely choice as a member for first American Everest Expedition in 1963, he was never invited by his ex-teammates. Afterwards Beckey shied away from the large team efforts abroad, preferring smaller alpine-style undertakings alone or with a few companions seeking out America's last unclimbed peaks or striking routes considered too difficult to climb. He often climbed 40 or 50 different summits a year, and over the decades managed to achieve nearly one thousand first ascents.][
]
Guidebook author
In the late 1940s, he asked The Mountaineers of Seattle to publish his first climbing guidebook for the local peaks. They turned him down, and the American Alpine Club
The American Alpine Club (AAC) is a non-profit member organization with more than 24,000 members. Its vision is to create "a united community of competent climbers and healthy climbing landscapes." The Club is housed in the American Mountaineerin ...
agreed to print a few thousand copies for a flat fee. Between climbs, he wrote several books, most notably the ''Cascade Alpine Guide
Friedrich Wolfgang Beckey (14 January 1923 – 30 October 2017), known as Fred Beckey, was an American rock climber, mountaineer and book author, who in seven decades of climbing achieved hundreds of first ascents of the tallest peaks and best ro ...
'', the definitive three-volume description of the Cascades from the Columbia River
The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...
to the Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Blackrock Mountain in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia just south of the City of Vancouver. The river's annual d ...
, now in its third edition, published by The Mountaineers.
Later accomplishments
In 2003, his 563-page book on the history of the region, ''Range of Glaciers'', was published by the Oregon Historical Society Press. According to a reviewer, he did much of the research for the volume in Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, at the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
and the National Archives, scouring files of the State Department, U.S. Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and ...
and other agencies. Beckey also perused the Canadian archives in Ottawa, Ontario
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
; Hudson's Bay Co. archives in Winnipeg, Manitoba
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...
; British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
archives in Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of the Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Greater Victoria area has a population of 397,237. Th ...
; records of the Northwest Boundary Survey at Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
; and records of the Northern Pacific and Great Northern railroads in Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
.
Beckey continued climbing when over 90 years old. His life was the subject of a 2017 documentary, directed by David O'Leske and produced by Patagonia
Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and gl ...
, called ''Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey''. The film won over 26 international awards, including: the Best Feature Mountain Film at the 2017 Banff Mountain Film Festival The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival is an international film competition and annual presentation of films and documentaries about mountain culture, sports, environment and adventure & exploration. It was launched in 1976 as ''The Banff Festival ...
; the Best Mountaineering Film at the 2017 Kendal Mountain Film Festival; and, the People's Choice Award at the 2017 Banff Mountain Book Festival The Banff Mountain Book Festival is an annual book festival held at the Banff Centre in Banff, Canada.
Grand Prize
* 1994: Chris Bonington and Audrey Saukeld (editors), ''Heroic Climbs''
* 1995: Thomas Wharton, ''Icefields''
* 1996: Stephen Ven ...
.
Mount Beckey, a previously unnamed, 8,500-foot peak in remote West-Central Alaska Range
The Alaska Range is a relatively narrow, 600-mile-long (950 km) mountain range in the southcentral region of the U.S. state of Alaska, from Lake Clark at its southwest endSources differ as to the exact delineation of the Alaska Range. ThBoar ...
(), was named after Beckey, after he, Calvin Hebert and John Middendorf
John Middendorf (born April 13, 1959, in New York City) is a big wall climber and designer of climbing equipment.
In the 1980s, he climbed the hardest walls of Yosemite (including El Capitan and Half Dome), and in 1992 he climbed the largest rock ...
climbed it in 1996.[
Fred Beckey died of ]congestive heart failure
Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, a ...
, in Seattle, on October 30, 2017 at the age of 94.[
]
First ascents
Just a few of his first ascents:
* 1939 Mount Despair, North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington and are officially named in the U.S. and Canada as the Cascad ...
* 1940 Forbidden Peak
Forbidden Peak is an glacial horn located in North Cascades National Park, in Skagit County of Washington state. It is part of the North Cascades and is located near Cascade Pass. Forbidden Peak features a rock climbing route named '' West Rid ...
, North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington and are officially named in the U.S. and Canada as the Cascad ...
- with brother Helmy, Lloyd Anderson, Jim Crooks, and Dave Lind.
* 1945 Price Glacier, Mount Shuksan
Mount Shuksan is a glaciated massif in the North Cascades National Park. Shuksan rises in Whatcom County, Washington immediately to the east of Mount Baker, and south of the Canada–US border. The mountain's name ''Shuksan'' is derived from t ...
, North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington and are officially named in the U.S. and Canada as the Cascad ...
with Jack Schwabland and Bill Granston
* 1946 ''East Ridge'' Devils Thumb
Devils Thumb, or Taalkhunaxhkʼu Shaa in Tlingit language, Tlingit, is a mountain in the Stikine Icecap region of the Alaska–British Columbia border, near Petersburg, Alaska, Petersburg. It is named for its projected thumb-like appearance. Its ...
, Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
with Bob Craig and Clifford Schmidtke (Aug 25)
* 1946 ''Liberty Bell'', North Cascades, Washington
* 1947 Mount Hozomeen's South Peak
* 1947 North Peak, Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell, previously called the State House Bell or Old State House Bell, is an iconic symbol of American independence, located in Philadelphia. Originally placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House (now renamed Independence ...
, North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington and are officially named in the U.S. and Canada as the Cascad ...
- 1947
* 1948 ''North Ridge'' of Mount Baker
Mount Baker (Lummi: '; nok, Kw’eq Smaenit or '), also known as Koma Kulshan or simply Kulshan, is a active glacier-covered andesitic stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the North Cascades of Washington in the United States. Mount ...
, North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington and are officially named in the U.S. and Canada as the Cascad ...
Fred Beckey, Ralph and Dick Widrig (August 1948)
* 1954 ''Northwest Buttress'' to North Peak, Denali
Denali (; also known as Mount McKinley, its former official name) is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of above sea level. With a topographic prominence of and a topographic isolation of , Denali is the thir ...
, Alaska (May 27) with Donald McLean, Charles Wilson, Henry Meybohm and Bill Hackett.
* 1954 South Ridge, Mount Deborah
Mount Deborah is a mountain in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is one of the major peaks of the eastern Alaska Range. Despite its low absolute elevation (compared to other major peaks in North America), it is a particularly large and steep peak in ...
with Heinrich Harrer
Heinrich Harrer (; 6 July 1912 – 7 January 2006) was an Austrian mountaineer, sportsman, geographer, ''Oberscharführer'' in the ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS), and author. He was a member of the four-man climbing team that made the first ascent of th ...
and Henry Meybohm
* 1954 ''West Ridge'' Mount Hunter (Alaska)
Mount Hunter or Begguya is a mountain in Denali National Park in Alaska. It is approximately south of Denali, the highest peak in North America. "Begguya" means child (of Denali) in the Dena'ina language. Mount Hunter is the third-highest majo ...
- with Heinrich Harrer
Heinrich Harrer (; 6 July 1912 – 7 January 2006) was an Austrian mountaineer, sportsman, geographer, ''Oberscharführer'' in the ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS), and author. He was a member of the four-man climbing team that made the first ascent of th ...
and Henry Meybohm
* 1959 ''Crescent Arete'', Mount Owen, Tetons
The Teton Range is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in North America. It extends for approximately in a north–south direction through the U.S. state of Wyoming, east of the Idaho state line. It is south of Yellowstone National Park and ...
, with Yvon Chouinard
Yvon Chouinard (born November 9, 1938) is an American rock climber, environmentalist, philanthropist and outdoor industry businessman. His company, Patagonia, is known for its commitment to protecting the environment.
Chouinard is also a surf ...
* 1959 ''Yocum Ridge'', Mount Hood
Mount Hood is a potentially active stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. It was formed by a subduction zone on the Pacific coast and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located about east-southeast of Portlan ...
, Oregon, with Leo Scheiblehner
* 1960 ''Outer Space'', Leavenworth, Washington
Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. It is part of the Wenatchee− East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,263 at the 2020 census. The entire town center is modeled on a German Bavarian ...
with Ron Niccoli
* 1961 North Face of Mount Edith Cavell
Mount Edith Cavell is a mountain located in the Athabasca River and Astoria River valleys of Jasper National Park, and the most prominent peak entirely within Alberta.
The mountain was named in 1916 for Edith Cavell, a British nurse executed ...
, Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies (french: Rocheuses canadiennes) or Canadian Rocky Mountains, comprising both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies, is the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. It is the easternmost part ...
, Canada with Yvon Chouinard
Yvon Chouinard (born November 9, 1938) is an American rock climber, environmentalist, philanthropist and outdoor industry businessman. His company, Patagonia, is known for its commitment to protecting the environment.
Chouinard is also a surf ...
and Dan Doody
* 1961 ''North Face'', Mount Sir Donald
Mount Sir Donald is a mountain summit located in the Rogers Pass area of Glacier National Park in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Its good rock quality and classic Matterhorn shape make it popular for alpine rock climbers, ...
, Rogers Pass, British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
with Yvon Chouinard
Yvon Chouinard (born November 9, 1938) is an American rock climber, environmentalist, philanthropist and outdoor industry businessman. His company, Patagonia, is known for its commitment to protecting the environment.
Chouinard is also a surf ...
* 1961 ''Beckey-Chouinard Route'' on South Howser Tower, Bugaboos, Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
with Yvon Chouinard
Yvon Chouinard (born November 9, 1938) is an American rock climber, environmentalist, philanthropist and outdoor industry businessman. His company, Patagonia, is known for its commitment to protecting the environment.
Chouinard is also a surf ...
* 1961 ''The Priest'', Castle Valley, Utah
Castle Valley is a town in Grand County, Utah, United States. The population was 319 at the 2010 census. The town is approximately 16 miles northeast of Moab, near State Route 128.
The community was named for castle-like rock formations near ...
, with Layton Kor, Harvey Carter, and Annie Carter
* 1962 ''Question Mark Wall'', Lone Peak Cirque, Wasatch Range
The Wasatch Range ( ) or Wasatch Mountains is a mountain range in the western United States that runs about from the Utah-Idaho border south to central Utah. It is the western edge of the greater Rocky Mountains, and the eastern edge of the G ...
, Utah
* 1963 ''Complete North Ridge'', Mount Stuart
Mount Stuart is a mountain in the Cascade Range, in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the second highest non-volcanic peak in the state, after Bonanza Peak and seventh-highest overall. Mount Stuart is the highest peak in the Stuart Range, and ...
, North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington and are officially named in the U.S. and Canada as the Cascad ...
, Washington with Steve Marts
* 1963 ''Northeast Buttress'' of Mount Slesse
Slesse Mountain, usually referred to as Mount Slesse, is a mountain just north of the United States, US-Canada border, in the North Cascades, Cascade Mountains of British Columbia, near the town of Chilliwack. It is notable for its large, steep lo ...
, British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
, Canada with Steve Marts and Eric Bjornstad
Reginald Munger Sullivan "Eric" Bjornstad (1934–2014) was an American climber and author, and poet noted for his many climbs in the desert southwest as well as climbs in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляск ...
* 1963 ''West Buttress'' (IV 5.8 A1), Musembeah Peak, Wind River Range
The Wind River Range (or "Winds" for short) is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in western Wyoming in the United States. The range runs roughly NW–SE for approximately . The Continental Divide follows the crest of the range and incl ...
, Wyoming
Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
(September) with Layton Kor
* 1963 ''Beckey Route'', Elephant's Perch, Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho
* 1964 ''Angel's Crest'', The Chief, Squamish, British Columbia
Squamish (; Squamish language, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim: Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, ; 2016 census population 19,512) is a community and a district municipality in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia, located at th ...
* 1965 Mount Sir Donald
Mount Sir Donald is a mountain summit located in the Rogers Pass area of Glacier National Park in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Its good rock quality and classic Matterhorn shape make it popular for alpine rock climbers, ...
, Rogers Pass, British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
, First Winter Ascent
* 1966 Mount Seattle
Mount Seattle is a peak in the Saint Elias Mountains of Alaska in the United States. It was named for the city of Seattle, home of the " camp hands" of a 19th-century National Geographic Society–United States Geological Survey scientific expe ...
, Saint Elias Mountains
The Saint Elias Mountains (french: Chaîne Saint-Élie) are a subgroup of the Pacific Coast Ranges, located in southeastern Alaska in the United States, Southwestern Yukon and the very far northwestern part of British Columbia in Canada. The range ...
, Alaska
* 1967 ''El Matador'' (NCCS IV, A3), Devils Tower
Devils Tower (also known as Bear Lodge Butte) is a butte, possibly laccolithic, composed of igneous rock in the Bear Lodge Ranger District of the Black Hills, near Hulett and Sundance in Crook County, northeastern Wyoming, above the Belle F ...
, Wyoming. FA with Eric Bjornstad
Reginald Munger Sullivan "Eric" Bjornstad (1934–2014) was an American climber and author, and poet noted for his many climbs in the desert southwest as well as climbs in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляск ...
* 1968 ''Direct East Buttress'' (IV F8 A4), South Early Winter Spire, North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington and are officially named in the U.S. and Canada as the Cascad ...
, Washington. FA with Doug Leen
* 1968 ''South Face'' (III F8 A1), Cathedral Peak (Washington), North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington and are officially named in the U.S. and Canada as the Cascad ...
, Washington. FA with Dave Wagner, John Brottem and Doug Leen
* 1968 ''Northeast Face'', Mount Hooker, Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies (french: Rocheuses canadiennes) or Canadian Rocky Mountains, comprising both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies, is the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. It is the easternmost part ...
, Canada. FA with John Rupley
* 1970 ''Beckey's Spire'' aka Christianity Spire, Sedona Arizona
* 1970, 1972 Zeus and Moses, Utah. FAs with Eric Bjornstad
* 1970 South Face of Charlotte Dome
Charlotte Dome is a granite dome
Granite domes are domical hills composed of granite with bare rock exposed over most of the surface. Generally, domical features such as these are known as bornhardts. Bornhardts can form in any type of plutoni ...
, III 5.7, FA with Galen Rowell
Galen Avery Rowell (August 23, 1940 – August 11, 2002) was a wilderness photographer, adventure photojournalist and mountaineer. Born in Oakland, California, he became a full-time photographer in 1972.
Early life and education
Rowell was intr ...
, Chris Jones[
* 1972 Moses, Canyonlands with ]Eric Bjornstad
Reginald Munger Sullivan "Eric" Bjornstad (1934–2014) was an American climber and author, and poet noted for his many climbs in the desert southwest as well as climbs in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляск ...
* 1989 ''South Buttress'', Caliban Peak, Arrigetch Peaks
The Arrigetch Peaks (Iñupiaq language, Iñupiaq: ''Argaich'') are a cluster of rugged granite spires in the Endicott Mountains of the central Brooks Range in northern Alaska. The name ''Arrigetch'' means 'fingers of the outstretched hand' in the ...
, Alaska
* 1996 Mount Beckey, Cathedral Mountains, Alaska, with John Middendorf
John Middendorf (born April 13, 1959, in New York City) is a big wall climber and designer of climbing equipment.
In the 1980s, he climbed the hardest walls of Yosemite (including El Capitan and Half Dome), and in 1992 he climbed the largest rock ...
and Calvin Hebert
* 1997 ''Bomber Lake Arete'', Wind River Range
The Wind River Range (or "Winds" for short) is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in western Wyoming in the United States. The range runs roughly NW–SE for approximately . The Continental Divide follows the crest of the range and incl ...
, Wyoming with Cameron Burns
Other notable ascents
* Second ascent Mount Waddington
Mount Waddington, once known as Mystery Mountain, is the highest peak in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Although it is lower than Mount Fairweather and Mount Quincy Adams, which straddle the United States border between Alask ...
, British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
- 1942
* Triple ascent of Denali
Denali (; also known as Mount McKinley, its former official name) is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of above sea level. With a topographic prominence of and a topographic isolation of , Denali is the thir ...
, Mount Deborah
Mount Deborah is a mountain in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is one of the major peaks of the eastern Alaska Range. Despite its low absolute elevation (compared to other major peaks in North America), it is a particularly large and steep peak in ...
, and Mount Hunter - 1954
* 1989 ''South Face'' of Kedernath, India. Beckey is part of an expedition that makes a very close attempt.
Personality
Timothy Egan
Timothy P. Egan (born November 8, 1954) is an American author, journalist and op-ed columnist for ''The New York Times'', writing from a liberal perspective.
Egan has written nine books. His first, ''The Good Rain'', won the Pacific Northwest ...
captures Fred Beckey's personality in a chapter of ''The Good Rain''. Beckey named Vasiliki Ridge, by Washington Pass, after his one true love. Beckey was a quintessential dirtbag climber, well captured by a classic portrait of him by Corey Rich from 2004 Patagonia
Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and gl ...
's Fall catalog, where he is trying to hitchhike
Hitchhiking (also known as thumbing, autostop or hitching) is a means of transportation that is gained by asking individuals, usually strangers, for a ride in their car or other vehicle. The ride is usually, but not always, free.
Nomads hav ...
while holding a sign "Will belay for food". His reputation is well known among many climbers, captured in a T-shirt "Beware of Beckey: He will steal your woman, steal your route."
Books
* ''Fred Beckey's 100 Favorite North American Climbs'' (Patagonia Inc., 2011, )
* ''Range of Glaciers: The Exploration and Survey of the Northern Cascade Range'' (Oregon Historical Society, 2003 )
* ''Cascade Alpine Guide
Friedrich Wolfgang Beckey (14 January 1923 – 30 October 2017), known as Fred Beckey, was an American rock climber, mountaineer and book author, who in seven decades of climbing achieved hundreds of first ascents of the tallest peaks and best ro ...
'' (3 vols.) (Mountaineers Books, 1973–2008)
** ''Columbia River to Stevens Pass'' (1973, 3rd ed. 2000, )
** ''Stevens Pass to Rainy Pass'' (1977, 3rd ed. 2003, )
** ''Rainy Pass to Fraser River'' (1981, 3rd ed. 2008, )
* ''Challenge of the North Cascades'' (1969, 2nd ed. 1996, )
* ''Mount McKinley: Icy Crown of North America'' (Mountaineers Books 1993, paper 1999, )
* ''The Bugaboos: An Alpine History'' (1987) (Introduction Only)
* ''Mountains of North America'' (1986)
* ''Mountains of North America'' (Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is an environmental organization with chapters in all 50 United States, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. The club was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by Scottish-American preservationist John Muir, who be ...
, 1982)
* ''Darrington and Index Rock Climbing Guide'' (Mountaineers Books, 1976)
* ''Guide to Leavenworth rock-climbing areas'' (Mountaineers Books, 1965)
* ''Climber's Guide to the Cascade and Olympic Mountains of Washington'' (American Alpine Club, 1949, revised edition 1953)
See also
* Snafflehound
References
External links
Biography
at HistoryLink
HistoryLink is an online encyclopedia of Washington state history. The site has more than 8,100 entries and attracts 5,000 daily visitors. It has 500 biographies and more than 14,000 images.
The non-profit historical organization History Ink prod ...
2011 Profile
in the Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
by Michael J. Ybarra
2007 Interview appearing in The Learning Project: Views of Authentic Learning
* ''New York Times'', 16 Dec. 2008
Video report on Fred Beckey. (The video displays the date of Dec. 16, although the URL states Dec. 15.)
Summer 2012 short film
of Fred climbing in the Dolomites on Vimeo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beckey, Fred
1923 births
2017 deaths
American mountain climbers
German emigrants to the United States
Mountain climbers from Seattle
University of Washington Foster School of Business alumni