Americans on Everest, 1963

I picked this 1963 issue of LIFE magazine up at Cameron’s books here in downtown Portland with the intention of maybe framing the cover at some point, but until i get around to that these scans should do just fine. The story of this expedition is pretty interesting, with a great narrative by expedition photographer Barry Bishop, as well as the story of the first American summiteer, Jim Whittaker. Reading about the conditions these guys were in is pretty impressive, and even more so when you consider the kinds of gear they used. Tough guys, all around.

Having lived in the Pacific Northwest for the last 20 years or so, I’ve always had a deep interest and respect for these original climbing gangsters who rocked the low REI numbers and the wooden ice axes. With names like Lute and Willi, you know these guys were hardmen. I think a comparison with the climbers on the Discovery Channel’s Everest series could be really interesting sometime - gear, technology, styles, etc… A good post for another day.