Mountain cartographer, photographer and explorer Bradford Washburn died January 10, 2007, of heart failure in a retirement home in Lexington, Massachusetts. He was 96.
Born in Boston, MA, in 1910, he began explorering New Hamphire's White Mountains with an ascent of Mount Washington's Tuckerman Ravine, in 1921. He graduated to the Alps...............
In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: I remember reading a resume of his career in an old copy of Mountain (??)- really stirring stuff- taking weeks to trek back out from some Alaskan peak, and his photography was excellent.
Regis Von Goatlips12 Jan 2007
In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
I once wrote to Mr. Washburn, and he was kind enough to reply; a letter I wish I still had. It was the 1980's and I was still pretty green. He corrected some flaw in my queries reasoning that was polite enough, but it made me blush all the same. Was maybe less than a month ago someone on the UKC Forum asked about a Denali traverse and I suggested contacting him. R.I.P Bradford Washburn & Most Sincere Condolences to family, freinds, and anyone who had the pleasure to know him. A genuine American icon and no mistake.
> (In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com) I remember reading a resume of his career in an old copy of Mountain (??)- really stirring stuff- taking weeks to trek back out from some Alaskan peak, and his photography was excellent.
There's a book about it, "Escape from Lucania" by David Roberts. Superb stuff. Some of his photography from the 30's is awesome. The camera he used was enormous, and in many cases he was hanging out of a plane while he took the shots.
Top Man.
The camera he used was enormous, and in many cases he was hanging out of a plane while he took the shots.
Though I'm unable to say for certain, chances are he used a Speed Graphic (sp?); they were the camera of choice for professionals at the time. You can recognize them by their accordian nose and their single photo plate (1 shot on each side).
Very sad to hear this - total legend. Imagine being 96yrs of age and able to look back on a life lived like his. I hope, when he shut his eyes for the last time, he was able to do so with complete contentment.
Darron
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