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Port Townsend Today
By the People, for the People
Jim Whittaker, First American to Summit Mount Everest, Dies at 97
Celebrated mountaineer made history with 1963 ascent and later became REI's CEO.
Apr. 9, 2026 at 4:35am
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Whittaker's historic Everest ascent cemented his legacy as a pioneering American mountaineer whose achievements brought greater attention to outdoor recreation.Port Townsend TodayJim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mount Everest, has died at the age of 97 at his home in Port Townsend, Washington. Whittaker's historic 1963 ascent of Everest alongside Nawang Gombu made him an instant celebrity, and he went on to become the first full-time employee and president/CEO of outdoor retailer REI. Whittaker was also a close friend of Robert Kennedy and climbed a 14,000-foot peak in Canada that was later named after the senator.
Why it matters
Whittaker's pioneering climb of Everest was a landmark achievement that paved the way for greater American mountaineering success on the world's highest peaks. His celebrity status and later business leadership also helped popularize outdoor recreation and conservation efforts in the United States.
The details
Whittaker grew up in Seattle and began climbing with his twin brother Lou in the 1940s. Their first major summit was of 7,965-foot Mount Olympus in the Olympic Mountains at age 16. Whittaker's historic 1963 Everest climb came 10 years after the first successful ascent by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Whittaker went on to lead many additional climbing expeditions, including the 1990 Mount Everest International Peace Climb that brought together climbers from the US, Soviet Union, and China.
- Whittaker and his twin brother summited Mount Olympus at age 16 in the 1940s.
- Whittaker made the first American ascent of Mount Everest in 1963.
- Whittaker led the 1990 Mount Everest International Peace Climb.
- Whittaker died on Tuesday, April 9, 2026 at his home in Port Townsend, Washington.
The players
Jim Whittaker
The first American to summit Mount Everest, who later became the first full-time employee and president/CEO of outdoor retailer REI.
Nawang Gombu
Whittaker's climbing partner on the historic 1963 ascent of Mount Everest.
Edmund Hillary
The first person, along with Tenzing Norgay, to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1953.
Tenzing Norgay
The first person, along with Edmund Hillary, to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1953.
Robert Kennedy
A close friend of Whittaker's with whom he climbed a 14,000-foot peak in Canada that was later named after the senator.
What they’re saying
“When you live on the edge, you can see a little farther.”
— Jim Whittaker
The takeaway
Jim Whittaker's historic ascent of Mount Everest and his subsequent leadership in the outdoor industry helped cement his legacy as a pioneering American mountaineer whose accomplishments and celebrity status brought greater attention and popularity to outdoor recreation and conservation efforts.
