Obit Jim Whittaker

FILE - Robert F. Kennedy, left, stands atop Mt. Kennedy after placing a black flag in memorial to his late brother, President John F. Kennedy, next to, from left, Jim Whittaker, William Allard, and George Senner, March 24, 1965, in Yukon, Canada.

As featured on

Legendary mountaineer Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mount Everest, dies at 97

Legendary mountaineer Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mount Everest, dies at 97

The legendary mountaineer Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mount Everest, has died at age 97. His family said in an emailed statement that he died Tuesday at home in Port Townsend, Washington. Whittaker’s 1963 ascent of Everest came 10 years after the pioneering climb of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. The feat made the once-shy, rangy climber an instant celebrity, in demand for public appearances and expected to lend his support to good causes. His family said Whittaker had an enduring belief in the power of nature to bring people together. Whittaker also served as the first full-time employee of the outdoor retailer REI and later as its president and CEO.