A monumental chapter in American mountaineering and adventure literature has come to a close with the passing of Lou Whittaker. A uniquely American legend, Whittaker was renowned for not only leading daring ascents to the pinpricked contours of the world’s highest peaks, including Mount Everest, K2, and Denali; he was also a hands-on mentor for a legion of climbers who accompanied him on over 250 expeditions up Mount Rainier, the most towering height in Washington state. He drew his last breath at the seasoned age of 95, at home in Seattle.
The news of his peaceful transition was confirmed by RMI Expeditions, a seasoned guide company, conceived and nurtured by Whittaker himself in the tumultuous era of 1969. ” His connection with the mountains helped sculpt the rugged terrains of his character, turning them into exhilarating platforms of fulfilled ambitions,” espoused the company while releasing a heartfelt statement. “He singlehandedly altered the perception of mountaineering from a daredevil act to a holistic realm of health benefits, thus bringing it into the fabric of mainstream public discourse.”
Born alongside his twin brother Jim Whittaker, Lou grew up in a time fraught with the uncertainty and turbulence of World War II. He cut his teeth on climbing with the Boy Scouts, reaching the peak of 7,965-foot Mount Olympus while still in his tender teenage years. This maiden victory, accompanied by the celebratory horns feting the end of the world war in the small town of Port Angeles, played a pivotal role in shaping his future path.
The Whittaker twins’ association with mountains extended beyond their pursuit of thrill; it blossomed into an expansive humanitarian effort as they began participating in mountain rescue operations. The highlight of these deeds was a dramatic rescue of military personnel from the chilling clutches of a tempest that ravaged Mount Rainier.
In the frosty dawn of the 1950s, the Whittaker brothers represented the American colors at the Army’s Mountain and Cold Weather command at Camp Hale, Colorado. As military service members, they hammered the tenets of survival in merciless alpine conditions into the hearts and minds of an elite group of soldiers known as the 10th Mountain Division.
Post military service, the twin brothers chose individual paths but remained intimately connected to their cherished mountains; Jim Whittaker ascended on an administrative path at the then nascent gear company REI, while Lou chose to shepherd teams of climbing enthusiasts.
Despite refusing to accompany his twin brother on the historic Everest expedition, Lou has gleefully confessed to fulfilling event obligations in lieu of his drained and celebrated brother. “Only our families and closest friends ever knew the difference,” he whimsically wrote in his memoirs.
His brainchild, RMI, training ground for many illustrious climbers, still stands as a testimony to his resilient spirit, with his son Peter now at the helm. In its glorious past, RMI has tasted the bitter wrath of Mother Nature in a chilling disaster in 1981 which claimed eleven lives on Mount Rainier. Peter Whittaker, Lou’s son, was a survivor of this catastrophe. Lou, undeterred by this horrific incident, went on to lead an epoch-making expedition in 1984 marking the beginning of successful American summits from the icy north side of Everest.
Being privy to the high-risk nature of climbing, Lou unfailingly reiterated the thrilling rewards and indispensable health benefits associated with the craft. In response to a curious onlooker probing the purpose of his mountain adventures, Whittaker once responded poignantly: “If you have to ask, you wouldn’t understand if I told you.”
Mountaineering bid him adieu in his 70s, but Lou Whittaker’s passage towards celestial heights is forever ensconced in the hallowed annals of American mountaineering. He is survived by his twin brother, wife Ingrid, sons Peter and Win, and a lineage of five direct descendants. His daughter Kim had preceded him in their journey towards eternity.
