Passings: Jim Whittaker, first American to summit Everest and first president of REI

April 8, 2026 – Jim Whittaker, the legendary American mountaineer who became the first American to summit Mount Everest and helped build REI, the iconic outdoor gear company, has died at age 97.

Whittaker died April 7 at his home in Port Townsend, Wash., according to reports and biographical summaries of his life and career.

Born Feb. 10, 1929, in Seattle, Whittaker grew up in the Pacific Northwest alongside his identical twin brother, Lou Whittaker, who also became a prominent climber. Their early years in the Boy Scouts and climbing in the Cascade Mountains helped launch a lifelong passion for mountaineering and exploration.

Whittaker etched his name into history two years later, when on May 1, 1963 he became the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest, climbing alongside Sherpa Nawang Gombu during the historic American Mount Everest Expedition. The expedition battled fierce winds, extreme cold, and dwindling oxygen, but eventually reached the top and spent roughly 20 minutes on the summit before descending. The achievement came at a time when fewer than 10 people in the world had ever stood atop the world’s tallest mountain.

Whittaker turned his love of nature and appetite for adventure into a series of groundbreaking accomplishments, including leading the first US expedition to successfully climb K2 and organizing an international peace climb on Everest at age 60. He also spent four years sailing nearly 20,000 miles around th world with his family later in life.

Beyond mountaineering, Whittaker played a pivotal role in the outdoor industry. In 1955, still in his 20s, he became the first full-time employee of the new company Recreational Equipment, Inc. — better known as REI — and eventually rose to president and CEO. Under his leadership, the small Seattle-based cooperative grew into a nationwide outdoor retailer with hundreds of employees and millions in sales. He retired in 1979, just as the company was preparing to open its Anchorage location.

His Everest success made him a national celebrity. He received the National Geographic Society’s Hubbard Medal from President John F. Kennedy, appeared on magazine covers, and helped inspire a generation of climbers and outdoor enthusiasts.

Friends and colleagues remembered Whittaker as a pioneering figure who bridged mountaineering, environmental advocacy, and the outdoor business world. His career helped popularize climbing in the United States and elevate the Pacific Northwest as a center of outdoor culture.