Born in Boston, MA, in 1910, he began exploring New Hamphire's White Mountains with an ascent of Mount Washington's Tuckerman Ravine, in 1921. He graduated to the Alps in his teens on a family holiday. He made many first ascents and from an early age he was a keen photographer and pioneered aerial mountain photography in the Alps, the Himalaya and particularly Alaska, creating some of the most spectacular images of World's mountains. He was a close friend of Ansel Adams whom he met through the Sierra Club. He was director of Boston's Museum of Science for 40 years, was inducted into the Explorer's Club at age 20 and was a member of the National Geographical Society.
A celebration of Bradford Washburn's life and work can be seen in Bradford Washburn: Mountain Photography by Antony Decaneas published by the Mountaineers Books (website).
His wife, Barbara Washburn, was the first woman to climb Mt. McKinley, Alaska.
You can view a gallery of Bradford Washburn's images here at Outside. Away.com.
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