If one day, when you and your friends are preparing to embark on a self-challenging mountain climbing trip in the United States, you might see an old man by the roadside—ragged but spirited—holding a sign that says “Assist with climbing in exchange for food” (a cooperative model where one provides climbing protection and the other provides food). Don’t doubt it—what you’re seeing is Fred Beckey, the living fossil of North American mountaineering and rock climbing in the 20th century.
Born on January 14, 1923, Beckey is still active among the various peaks across North America. He has a slightly slender build, a slight hunchback, medium-length gray hair, very large hands, bloodshot eyes, and a face full of the marks of a hard life. But the moment he starts talking about mountain climbing, his youthful enthusiasm immediately shines through.
Never married his whole life for the sake of climbing
Beckey was born in Düsseldorf, Germany. When he was two years old, his family crossed the ocean and settled in Seattle, USA. As a child, Beckey was a member of the local Boy Scouts, but his connection to mountaineering began with an accident. At the age of 13, he got separated from his family during a hike and, remarkably, climbed to the summit on his own. That marked the beginning of his lifelong passion for climbing.
In his own words, “I was never cut out for jobs that confine people.” After earning a degree in business administration from the University of Washington, he once worked at a printing plant. But in order to dedicate enough time to his beloved mountaineering, Beckey resolutely quit and found a job as a truck driver (truck driving being relatively free in the U.S.).
He also said more than once that work for him was merely to meet the most basic living requirements. “I chose a life without marriage, without a house, without debt. I know I gave up some things—like money, romance, and friendships.”
Just as he said, Beckey never married or had children in his lifetime, but those around him said his desire for women was as strong as his passion for climbing. As a legend who pioneered hundreds of climbing routes in North America, a friend in the climbing community once made a T-shirt that read: “Beware of Beckey—he’ll steal your woman and your climbing route.” At the same time, as one of the representative figures of the “scruffy” climbers in North America, he often crashed on others’ couches. It was precisely because of his unconventional and carefree lifestyle that he was unexpectedly not selected for the 1963 U.S. Mount Everest expedition. Rumors had it that his unorthodox personality led to his final rejection. Beckey also stated firmly on multiple occasions: “Team sports have never appealed to me. Just like how I didn’t like football when I was young.”
Sustaining himself by writing books
In fact, those controversies cannot overshadow the fact that Beckey is the climber with the most first ascents in the history of the sport. Throughout his climbing career, he sought only unconquered virgin peaks. From 1939 to 1996, Beckey successfully summited over a hundred mountains and established hundreds of climbing routes, including 23 of the most famous routes in North America. In the summer of 1954, Beckey accomplished the first ever “triple ascent” in human history—climbing Mount McKinley, Mount Deborah, and Mount Hunter in succession. This record remains unbroken to this day.
Due to his unstable income, Beckey lived a rather frugal life. According to those close to him, he would even ask for free refills when buying coffee just to save money. His main sources of income were book royalties and slide show presentations. Writing books was not only his primary financial support but also another major passion of his. He was also happy to share his mountaineering experiences with others. Starting with his first book, *Climber’s Guide to the Cascade Range of Washington*, published in 1953, he has released 14 works to date, including a three-volume set on the Cascades, known as the “Beckey Bible of Mountaineering.” “There are so many great climbing routes—you can’t possibly fit them all into a book.” To write his books, Beckey went to great lengths. Some have witnessed him copying content from mountaineering books onto scraps of paper at a bookstore in Alaska. Additionally, in Southern Howser Tower in Canada, locals have seen Beckey spending a cold night on a rock, tearing pages from a novel to take notes.
The citation for the Lifetime Achievement Award given to Beckey by the American magazine *Climbing* once stated: “His climbing record remains unsurpassed, and his contributions to the history and culture of mountaineering are immense, making him an unparalleled climber. Mr. Beckey’s greatest achievement is the lifestyle he chose—sacrificing everything for the sake of climbing.”