Jim Whittaker, the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest, died on Tuesday. He was 97.
Whittaker died at his home in Port Townsend, Washington, The New York Times reported. His death was confirmed by his son, Leif, according to the newspaper.
Whittaker also served as the first full-time employee of REI and later served as CEO of the outdoors retailer, The Associated Press reported.
Breaking News: Jim Whittaker, who in 1963 became the first American to reach Mount Everest’s summit, has died at 97. https://t.co/WyD01u8oOh
— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 8, 2026
“Whether at home, in the mountains, or at sea, he sought to share adventure, joy, and optimism with those around him,” Whittaker’s family said in a statement. “His warmth, humility, and belief in the power of nature to bring people together left an enduring legacy of care for our planet and for one another.”
Whittaker reached the summit of the world’s highest mountain on May 1, 1963, a decade after Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first scaled the 29,032-foot mountain. At the time, fewer than 10 people were known to have reached the summit, the Times reported.
Whittaker set out in stormy weather with his climbing partner, Nawang Gombu, a Sherpa guide, according to the newspaper.
Despite the challenging conditions, Whittaker did not hesitate.
The conditions on the South Col of Everest were less than ideal for a summit push, but Mr. Whittaker did not hesitate.
I am deeply saddened by the passing of Jim Whittaker. Jim was one of the great Washingtonians. He inspired many generations of mountaineers to explore the outdoors, including me. I'm grateful for the time I spent with him over the years.
— Governor Bob Ferguson (@GovBobFerguson) April 8, 2026
My thoughts are with his family in this… pic.twitter.com/HLBpqfumbU
“You always start up,” he said in a 2013 interview. “Because you can always turn around.”
Whittaker, known as “Big Jim” because of his 6-foot, 5-inch frame, returned to the United States as a hero, the Times reported. In 2003, one reporter referred to him as “an Alpine Jimmy Stewart.”
Whittaker would be featured on the covers of National Geographic and Life magazines. In July 1963, he received the Hubbard Medal, the highest honor from the National Geographic Society, from President John F. Kennedy, the Times reported. The award recognizes achievements in research, discovery and exploration, and previous recipients included Robert Peary, Charles Lindbergh and John Glenn.
“It wasn’t that steep,” Whittaker told National Geographic about climbing Mount Everest. “You could walk -- stumble -- up. The hardest thing was the altitude. Even with the oxygen tanks, we were just sucking air.
“Put a pillow on your face, run around the block and try to suck oxygen through that pillow. It will give you an idea.”
James Warren Whittaker was born in Seattle on Feb. 10, 1929, in Seattle. He grew up in the Pacific Northwest and began climbing with his twin brother, Lou, during the 1940s when both were Boy Scouts, the AP reported.
When they were 16, the brothers reached the summit of Mount Olympus, a 7,965-foot peak in Washington state, the news organization reported. In 1945, they reached the summit of Mount Rainier, at 14,410 feet the highest peak in the Cascade Mountains, according to the Times.
The brothers attended West Seattle High School and played basketball at Seattle University, the newspaper reported.
Jim Whittaker would publish a memoir, “A Life on the Edge: Memoirs of Everest and Beyond” in 1999.
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