Charlie Porter

Charlie Porter (born Massachusetts June 12, 1950, died Punta Arenas February 23, 2014) was an American mountaineer and climate change scientist.^[1] He is best known for his bold first ascents in Yosemite (particularly on El Capitan), Canada and Alaska;^[2] and his significant influence on other notable climbers and the climbing community,^[3] in part due to his creation and development of innovative climbing equipment.^[4][5] He has also garnered a reputation as an adventurer (he was one of the first people to round Cape Horn in a kayak^[6]) and geoscientist in South America.^[7]

Notable ascents

El Capitan, Yosemite, USA

Porter's notable first ascents on El Capitan include^[8][9]

• Zodiac 1972
• The Shield 1972
• Mescalito 1973
• Tangerine Trip 1973
• Excalibur 1975^[10]

Prior to the above routes, Porter's 1972 solo ascent of New Dawn (a variation of Warren Harding and Dean Caldwell's Wall of the Early Morning Light) in which he dropped his haul bag early in the route but continued to complete the climb 9 days later, sleeping in slings and an improvised sleeping bag made from ensolite foam, gained him significant notoriety in the climbing community.^[2]

Alaska

• First solo of the Cassin Ridge, Mount McKinley 1976. Described as "ahead of its time".^[11]
• West Face of Middle Triple Peak in the Kichatna Mountains with Russell McLean 1976.^[12]

Canada

• First-ever grade VII route, done solo on Baffin Island’s Mount Asgard 1975, described by Doug Scott as "a remarkable achievement".^[13]
• Polar Circus, V, WI 5, Cirrus Mountain, Banff National Park.^[14]

Tierra del Fuego

• Monte Sarmiento, West Peak. In 1995 he joined with Stephen Venables, John Roskelley, Jim Wickwire and Tim Macartney-Snape, however during high winds Porter was blown off an icy ridge, managing to stop his slide off the mountain by jamming his arm in a crevasse, breaking a bone and dislocating his shoulder in the process, but saving his life.^[15]

Adventurer and scientist

In 1979 Porter kayaked around Cape Horn, becoming one of the first people to do so.^[6]

Since the 1980s he lived in South America where he continued his spirit of adventure, sailing to remote locations, regularly chartering his yacht and guiding services to marine and climate scientists whose research is based in southern South America.^[16][17]

References

1. Holyoke, John. "Climate change scientist, legendary climber Charlie Porter dies at 63". Bangordailynews.com. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
2. Chapman, Mark; Bracksieck, George (1993). "Charlie Porter". Rock & Ice.
3. Cerro Torres: Epic Hall of Fame No 224 Climbing Magazine
4. Middendorf, John "Mechanical Advantage", Ascent 1999
5. The Nuts Museum
6. New York Times 6 May 2001
7. Madre de Dios Speleo 2008 Oxford University Expedition
8. Chris McNamara, Yosemite Big Walls - 3rd Edition May 2011
9. "40 Years of American Rock", Climbing Magazine
10. "El Capitan : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering". SummitPost. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
11. 'SuperTopo.com
12. McLean, Russell (1977). "Middle Triple Peak". American Alpine Journal (New York, NY, USA: American Alpine Club) 21 (51): 102–105. ISBN 978-0-930410-31-5
13. Doug Scott, "Mount Asgard", in World Mountaineering (Audrey Salkeld, editor), Bulfinch Press, 1998, ISBN 0-8212-2502-2
14. Pushing the limits: the story of Canadian mountaineering Chic Scott, Rocky Mountain Books Ltd, 2000 ISBN 978-0-921102-59-5
15. Jim Wickwire, Dorothy Bullitt Addicted to Danger Simon and Schuster, 1999 ISBN 978-0-671-01991-4
16. Abrupt Climate Change - Ice cores from Patagonia, Climate Change Institute 2005
17. Madre de Dios Speleo 2008 Oxford University Expedition

External links

• Gary Bocarde "Waiting for Dawn", July 21, 2014 Alpinist.