UKC

NEWS: Fred Beckey dies aged 94 RIP

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 pneame 31 Oct 2017
In reply to goose299:

Oh no! But it had to happen eventually.
Incredible mountaineer.
 James FR 31 Oct 2017
In reply to goose299:

RIP. 94 years old and planning another trip to the Himalaya next spring, just incredible.
 Mick Ward 31 Oct 2017
In reply to goose299:

[From the article.]

β€œHe devoted his life to advancing climbing and he succeeded,” says McCarthy. "He deserves to be venerated.”

What an amazing life.

Mick
 Fraser 31 Oct 2017
In reply to goose299:

Ah too bad, I wasn't familiar with his name until fairly recently when I saw a very good video about his life; it was amazing he was still so game.

youtube.com/watch?v=0TSLOX0RFZY&

pasbury 31 Oct 2017
In reply to goose299:

Born in Germany in 1923! The world record holder for first ascents.

What an inspiring life of total commitment to something he loved.
 Darron 31 Oct 2017
In reply to goose299:

Have just raised a glass to a life we would all like to lead.
 LeeWood 31 Oct 2017
In reply to goose299:

Is it known at what age he last climbed - and which routes ??

 Robert Durran 31 Oct 2017
In reply to LeeWood:

> Is it known at what age he last climbed - and which routes ??

There was a video on here of him climbing in the Dolomites quite recently. Definitely in his nineties. Amazing. A real climber's climber.
In reply to goose299:

Legend !! RIP

 Robert Durran 31 Oct 2017
In reply to Robert Durran:

> There was a video on here of him climbing in the Dolomites quite recently. Definitely in his nineties.

Ah, 89 actually:
https://www.ukclimbing.com/videos/play.php?i=1800

This is good too:
https://www.ukclimbing.com/videos/play.php?i=3360
 Fishmate 31 Oct 2017
In reply to goose299:

Thanks Fred, RIP.
 Simon Caldwell 31 Oct 2017
In reply to LeeWood:

A comment on supertopo says he was still climbing 5.6 last year
Removed User 31 Oct 2017
In reply to goose299:

The legend's legend.

I recently found a box of old climbing mags and will be re-reading Cameron's Burn's article from Mountain Review, 1992-ish.

RIP Fred.
 olddirtydoggy 31 Oct 2017
In reply to goose299:

Amazing bloke, glad he got the film of his life out before he passed. There are some vids on the film site of him appearing at the outdoor film fests and he looks frail.
Removed User 31 Oct 2017
 loose overhang 01 Nov 2017
In reply to LeeWood:

He was climbing at Squamish last year, summer of 2016.
 LeeWood 01 Nov 2017
In reply to loose overhang (and others, thanks) :

So it's fairly sure he didn't languish for years in a rest home. Gotta be the way to 'go'
 veteye 01 Nov 2017
In reply to goose299:
We can only aim to emulate a much lesser version of Fred Beckey. I've often looked at his Cascade books and thought to go back there again, and I always think of him when Washington state and the Cascades are mentioned.
Good fellow.
RIP Fred.
 Blake 01 Nov 2017
In reply to goose299:

Quote of the week.

"Some peoples' idea of an adventure is a cruise to the mediterranean... to me that's no adventure at all unless the ship gets bombed."
In reply to goose299:
The story I like about him is that he kept a very full address book but it was organised by location so he could look up where to doss easily. It wasn't unusual for people to wake up and find him asleep in their porch in the morning. True character.
 loose overhang 01 Nov 2017
In reply to veteye:

Most of my adventures are in the North Cascades and wherever I go the presence of Fred is there. From nearby my house I can see several mountains he did first ascents on. When traveling further afield to Wyoming, Idaho, California and the Canadian Rockies I know he's been there too, exploring and knocking off firsts and recording his observations. An extraordinary climber.

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