Jim Whittaker, the renowned mountaineer who became the first American to summit Mount Everest, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 97 at his Port Townsend, Washington, home.

His family recalled him as a kind and upbeat man who devoted his life to spreading the value of nature and the joy of exploration.

Ten years after the peak was first reached, Whittaker and Nawang Gombu made the historic ascent of Everest in 1963. The accomplishment helped spark a huge surge in interest in mountaineering across the United States and turned the once-timid climber into a household name.

His influence extended far beyond the slopes, as he served as the first full-time employee and later the president and CEO of REI. During his leadership in the 1970s, the outdoor co-op saw its membership nearly quadruple.

His contributions to conservation were equally significant. Whittaker used his public platform to advocate for the protection of wild spaces, providing crucial testimony that helped establish North Cascades National Park, the Pasayten Wilderness, and Redwood National Park.

He believed that the natural world held a unique power to bring people together, a philosophy he put into practice during the 1990 Mount Everest International Peace Climb.

That expedition united climbers from the U.S., the Soviet Union, and China to demonstrate what could be achieved through shared challenges and goodwill.

Whittaker was also a close friend of the Kennedy family, particularly Robert F. Kennedy, with whom he climbed a Canadian peak later renamed Mount Kennedy. His early life was defined by a bond with his twin brother, Lou, with whom he began climbing in the Boy Scouts during the 1940s. Lou, also a legendary figure in the climbing community, passed away in 2024.

Jim Whittaker is survived by his wife of 52 years, Dianne Roberts, and his three sons. Former Washington Governor Jay Inslee noted that Whittaker’s legacy remains as enduring and impressive as the mountains he spent his life scaled.