Willi Unsoeld
| Willi Unsoeld | |
|---|---|
Willi Unsoeld
|
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| Born |
October 5, 1926 Arcata, California, United States |
| Died | March 4, 1979 (aged 52) Mount Rainier |
| Alma mater |
Oregon State University University of California, Berkeley University of Washington |
| Known for | First ascent of the West Ridge of Mount Everest |
| Notable work | Evergreen State College |
| Awards | Hubbard Medal, National Geographic Society |
Willi Unsoeld (October 5, 1926 – March 4, 1979) was an American mountaineer who, along with Tom Hornbein, were members of the first American expedition to summit Mount Everest on May 22, 1963. Unsoeld and Hornbein's legendary climb was the first ascent from the peak's west ridge, and the first major traverse of a Himalayan peak. His subsequent activities included working as a U.S. Forest Service Smokejumper, Peace Corps director in Nepal, speaker for Outward Bound, faculty member at Oregon State University and The Evergreen State College and mountaineering guide. An avalanche during a winter climb of Mount Rainier took his life.
Born in Arcata, California, Unsoeld was raised in Eugene, Oregon, and received degrees from Oregon State University, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Washington. He helped to create the OSC Mountain Club during his time at Oregon State University.
In the late 1950s he was a leading climbing guide in the Grand Teton Mountains. He climbed Mt. Rainier over 200 times.
Unsoeld and Tom Hornbein ascended Everest’s difficult West Ridge route in May 1963 on a National Geographic Society sponsored expedition while Barry Bishop and Lute Jerstad followed Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s South Col route established during their 1953 climb. It was the first simultaneous attempt from two directions.
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