Charlie Porter (June 12, 1950 in Massachusetts – February 23, 2014 in Punta Arenas) was an American rock climber, mountaineer and climate change scientist. He is best known for his first ascents of major big wall routes, often solo, in Yosemite (particularly on El Capitan), Canada and Alaska; and his significant influence on other notable climbers and the climbing community,Cerro Torres: Epic Hall of Fame No 224 Climbing Magazine in part due to his creation and development of innovative climbing equipment.Middendorf, John "Mechanical Advantage", Ascent 1999 He has also garnered a reputation as an adventurer (he was one of the first people to round Cape Horn in a kayakNew York Times 6 May 2001) and geoscientist in South America.Madre de Dios Speleo 2008 Oxford University Expedition
Notable ascents
El Capitan, Yosemite, USA Porter's notable big-wall first ascents on El Capitan includeChris McNamara, Yosemite Big Walls - 3rd Edition May 2011"40 Years of American Rock", Climbing Magazine Zodiac 1972 The Shield 1972 Mescalito 1973 Tangerine Trip 1973 Excalibur 1975 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.
Alaska First solo of the Cassin Ridge, Denali 1976. Described as "ahead of its time". West Face of Middle Triple Peak in the Kichatna Mountains with Russell McLean 1976.McLean, Russell (1977). "Middle Triple Peak". American Alpine Journal (New York, NY, USA: American Alpine Club) 21 (51): 102–105.
Canada First-ever grade VII big wall climbing route, done solo on Baffin Island’s Mount Asgard 1975, described by Doug Scott as "a remarkable achievement".Doug Scott, "Mount Asgard", in World Mountaineering (Audrey Salkeld, editor), Bulfinch Press, 1998, Polar Circus, V, WI 5, Cirrus Mountain, Banff National Park.Pushing the limits: the story of Canadian mountaineering Chic Scott, Rocky Mountain Books Ltd, 2000
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.Jim Wickwire, Dorothy Bullitt Addicted to Danger Simon and Schuster, 1999
Adventurer and scientist In 1979, Porter was the first person to kayak around Cape Horn. From the 1980s onward, 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.Abrupt Climate Change - Ice cores from Patagonia, Climate Change Institute 2005 Madre de Dios Speleo 2008 Oxford University Expedition
References
External links Gary Bocarde "Waiting for Dawn", July 21, 2014 Alpinist "Charles Talbot Porter", "The Free Press" "Charlie Porter – obituary", "The Telegraph," 26 May 2014 "Charlie Porter, an Adventurer Scaling Rock and Sailing Seas, Is Dead at 63", "New York Times," 15 March 2014