Jim Whittaker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Whittaker
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Whittaker speaking at the Computer
History Museum in 2005 |
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| Born | February 10, 1929 Seattle, Washington, U.S.
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| Education | Seattle University West Seattle High School |
| Occupation | Mountaineer |
| Relatives | Lou Whittaker (twin brother) |
James W. Whittaker (born February 10, 1929), also known as Jim Whittaker, is a famous American climber and mountain guide. He grew up in Seattle, Washington. On May 1, 1963, Jim became the first American to reach the top of Mount Everest. He was part of the American Mount Everest Expedition. He climbed with a Sherpa named Nawang Gombu. They ran out of oxygen but still made it to the very top!
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Who is Jim Whittaker?
Jim Whittaker has a twin brother named Lou Whittaker. Lou is also a mountain guide. Sometimes people mistakenly think Lou was the one who climbed Everest in 1963. Both brothers started climbing when they were teenagers in the 1940s. They were part of the Boy Scouts.
Jim Whittaker went to West Seattle High School. He also studied at Seattle University.
Jim Whittaker and REI
On July 25, 1955, Jim Whittaker became the very first full-time employee of Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI). REI is a popular outdoor gear company. Jim was the company's CEO in the 1960s. He was also an early board member.
When Jim climbed Mount Everest, it brought a lot of attention to REI. This free advertising helped the company a lot. In 1964, the year after his climb, REI's income went over US$1 million for the first time.
Climbing with Robert F. Kennedy
In 1965, Jim Whittaker guided Robert F. Kennedy up a mountain. This mountain was newly named Mount Kennedy. Jim and Kennedy became good friends. They even spent many vacations together.
The Earth Day Climb
In 1990, Jim Whittaker led a special climb called the Earth Day 20 International Peace Climb. This climb brought together climbers from the United States, the USSR, and China. Their goal was to reach the top of Mount Everest together.
Twenty climbers from this group made it to the summit. The expedition also did something very important. They cleaned up a lot of trash left on the mountain by earlier climbing groups.
Books and Family Life
In 1999, Jim Whittaker wrote a book about his life. It is called A Life on the Edge: Memoirs of Everest and Beyond. His younger son, Leif Whittaker, also wrote a book in 2016. It is called My Old Man and the Mountain: A Memoir. Leif's book tells the story of his own climb to Mount Everest. His parents joined him for part of the journey. He also compares his Everest experience to his father's.
Jim Whittaker and his wife, Dianne Roberts, live in Port Townsend, Washington. They have two children, Joss and Leif Whittaker.
Awards and Honors
- For being the first American to climb Mount Everest, Jim Whittaker received the Hubbard Medal. This award was given to him by United States President John F. Kennedy.
- A mountain in Chelan County, Washington is named after him. It is called Big Jim Mountain.
- A trail in Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park near Issaquah, Washington is also named for him. It is called the Jim Whittaker Wilderness Peak Trail.
See also
In Spanish: James Whittaker para niños
- List of 20th-century summiters of Mount Everest
