Art (Arthur Karr) Gilkey (September 25, 1926 – August 10, 1953) was an American geologist and mountaineer. He was born in Boulder, Colorado, to Herbert J. Gilkey (1890–1976) and Mildred (Talbot) Gilkey, and was raised in Ames, Iowa, where his father was a professor of Engineering. He earned a

Bachelor's of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

degree from Iowa State in 1949 and, after a tour of duty in the Navy during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, began graduate study in Geology at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

, where he earned a Master of Science degree in 1950. Prior to his death, Gilkey had completed his doctoral dissertation, “Fracture Pattern of the Zuni Uplift,” and was posthumously awarded a Ph.D. His thesis advisor was Walter H. Bucher. An article Gilkey wrote with Arie Poldervaart was published posthumously. Gilkey explored Alaska in 1950 and 1952. He died during the 1953 American expedition to summit K2. At Camp III, he came down with

thrombophlebitis Thrombophlebitis is a phlebitis (inflammation of a vein) related to a thrombus (blood clot). When it occurs repeatedly in different locations, it is known as thrombophlebitis migrans ( migratory thrombophlebitis). Signs and symptoms The following ...

(blood clots in the leg) or possibly

deep venous thrombosis Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a type of venous thrombosis involving the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein, most commonly in the legs or pelvis. A minority of DVTs occur in the arms. Symptoms can include pain, swelling, redness, and enla ...

, followed by

pulmonary embolism Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blockage of an artery in the lungs by a substance that has moved from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream ( embolism). Symptoms of a PE may include shortness of breath, chest pain particularly upon breathin ...

. His fellow expedition members, including Charles Houston and

Pete Schoening Peter Kittilsby Schoening (July 30, 1927 – September 22, 2004) was an American mountaineer. Schoening and Andrew Kauffman was two Americans to first successfully climb the Pakistani peak Gasherbrum I in 1958, and was one of the first to summit M ...

, immediately turned back in an attempt to save his life. During the descent, Gilkey, wrapped in a sleeping bag, suddenly disappeared. It is believed he was swept away by an

avalanche An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, such as a hill or mountain. Avalanches can be set off spontaneously, by such factors as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, animals, and eart ...

, but others conjecture that he untied himself from the ropes to spare his teammates from further risk on his behalf. Gilkey's remains were discovered in 1993, melting out of the glacier at the base of the south face of K2.

Memorials

* The Gilkey Memorial to deceased climbers, situated below K2, was originally built for, and named after, Art Gilkey. * The American Alpine Club administers the Arthur K. Gilkey Memorial Award, providing grants in aid of scientific research in alpine areas.

References

1926 births 1950s missing person cases 1953 deaths 20th-century American geologists American mountain climbers Columbia University alumni Deaths from pulmonary embolism Formerly missing people Missing person cases in Pakistan Mountaineering deaths on K2 {{US-geologist-stub

See also

Memorials

References