Friedrich Wolfgang Beckey (14 January 1923 – 30 October 2017), known as Fred Beckey, was an American rock climber,
mountaineer
Mountaineering, mountain climbing, or alpinism is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas that have become sports ...
and book author, who in seven decades of climbing achieved hundreds of
first ascent
In mountaineering and climbing, a first ascent (abbreviated to FA in climbing guidebook, guide books), is the first successful documented climb to the top of a mountain or the top of a particular climbing route. Early 20th-century mountaineers a ...
s of some of the tallest peaks and most important routes throughout Alaska, the
Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies () or Canadian Rocky Mountains, comprising both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies, is the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. It is the easternmost part of the Canadian Cordillera, w ...
and the
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest (PNW; ) is a geographic region in Western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though no official boundary exists, the most common ...
.
[ Among the Fifty Classic Climbs of North America, seven were established by Beckey, often climbing with some of the best known climbers of each generation.]
Early years
Beckey was born in 1923 near Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in the state after Cologne and the List of cities in Germany with more than 100,000 inhabitants, seventh-largest city ...
, Germany to Klaus Beckey, a surgeon, and Marta Maria Beckey who was an opera singer.[ In 1925 economic hardships due to ]hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic
Hyperinflation affected the Papiermark, German Papiermark, the currency of the Weimar Republic, between 1921 and 1923, primarily in 1923. The German currency had seen significant inflation during the First World War due to the way in which the G ...
forced his family to emigrate to the United States, settling in Seattle
Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
, Washington.[ His brother, Helmut "Helmy" Beckey, was born in Seattle in 1926 and would later become Fred's frequent climbing partner. At age twelve, Fred Beckey climbed Boulder Peak in the Cascades by himself, after wandering off on a family camping trip. Afterwards, his family signed him up with the Boy Scouts] where he learned the basic concepts of climbing. Later he joined The Mountaineers. In 1939, at sixteen, Fred and two friends climbed 7,292-foot Mount Despair in the North Cascades, which was considered unclimbable at the time.[ In 1942, the teenage Beckey brothers snatched a second ascent of Mount Waddington, which was then considered the most difficult climb in North America.] Beckey followed that with many more first ascents of summits in the Olympic and North Cascade ranges. In 1942 he joined 10th Mountain Division
The 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is a light infantry division (military), division in the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. Formerly designated as a mountain warfare unit, the division was the only one of its size in ...
, based in Colorado, and served as an instructor.[
After the war, Beckey studied ]business administration
Business administration is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization.
Overview
The administration of a business includes the performance o ...
at the University of Washington
The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...
, while still spending a lot of time climbing mountain ranges in the Northwest and desert rock formations in the Southwest. After graduation in 1949 he worked for the ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'' (popularly known as the ''Seattle P-I'', the ''Post-Intelligencer'', or simply the ''P-I'') is an online newspaper and former print newspaper based in Seattle, Washington (state), Washington, United States.
Th ...
'' and became a print shop sales representative. However, he soon discovered that his work interfered with his climbing. For a time, he worked as a delivery truck driver, which left him time for climbing. As time went on, he decided that climbing was his life's focus. He never married or had children, he never pursued a professional career, he never sought money or financial security as a goal—his goal was to climb mountains.[
In 1955 Beckey joined the International Himalayan Expedition to climb the world’s fourth-highest peak, ]Lhotse
Lhotse ( ; ; ) is the List of highest mountains#List, fourth-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga. At an elevation of above sea level, the main summit is on the border between Tibet Autonomous Region of Chin ...
. During the expedition his tentmate developed cerebral edema at 23,000 feet on the night before they were to attempt the summit. Beckey descended in the blizzard to get help, but was later blamed by his teammates for abandoning his partner, who was rescued by others.[ Consequently although Beckey seemed a likely choice as a member for first American Everest Expedition in 1963, he was never invited by his ex-teammates. Afterwards Beckey shied away from the large team efforts abroad, preferring smaller alpine-style undertakings alone or with a few companions seeking out America's last unclimbed peaks or striking routes considered too difficult to climb. He often climbed 40 or 50 different summits a year, and over the decades managed to achieve nearly one thousand first ascents.][
]
Guidebook author
In the late 1940s, he asked The Mountaineers of Seattle to publish his first climbing guidebook
Climbing guidebooks are used by mountaineers, alpinists, ice climbers, and rock climbers to locate, grade, and navigate climbing routes on mountains, climbing crags, or bouldering areas. Modern route guidebooks include detailed information o ...
for the local peaks. They turned him down, and the American Alpine Club
The American Alpine Club (AAC) is a non-profit member organization with more than 26,000 members. The club is housed in the American Mountaineering Center (AMC) in Golden, Colorado.
Through its members, the AAC advocates for American climbers d ...
agreed to print a few thousand copies for a flat fee. Between climbs, he wrote several books, most notably the ''Cascade Alpine Guide'', the definitive three-volume description of the Cascades from the Columbia River
The Columbia River (Upper Chinook language, Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin language, Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river headwater ...
to the Fraser River
The Fraser River () is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Blackrock Mountain (Canada), Blackrock Mountain in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia just south of the City of V ...
, now in its third edition, published by The Mountaineers.
Later accomplishments
In 2003, his 563-page book on the history of the region, ''Range of Glaciers'', was published by the Oregon Historical Society Press. According to a reviewer, he did much of the research for the volume in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, at the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
and the National Archives, scouring files of the State Department, U.S. Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The agency was founded on March ...
and other agencies. Beckey also perused the Canadian archives in Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
, Ontario; Hudson's Bay Co. archives in Winnipeg, Manitoba
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...
; British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
archives in Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Gre ...
; records of the Northwest Boundary Survey at Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...
; and records of the Northern Pacific and Great Northern railroads in Minneapolis
Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
.
Beckey continued climbing when over 90 years old. His life was the subject of a 2017 documentary, directed by David O'Leske and produced by Patagonia
Patagonia () is a geographical region that includes parts of Argentina and Chile at the southern end of South America. The region includes the southern section of the Andes mountain chain with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and glaciers ...
, called ''Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey''. The film won over 26 international awards, including: the Best Feature Mountain Film at the 2017 Banff Mountain Film Festival
The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival, formerly Banff Festival of Mountain Films, is an international film competition and annual presentation of films and documentaries about mountain culture, sports, environment and adventure & exploration, h ...
; the Best Mountaineering Film at the 2017 Kendal Mountain Film Festival; and, the People's Choice Award at the 2017 Banff Mountain Book Festival.
Mount Beckey, a previously unnamed, 8,500-foot peak in remote West-Central Alaska Range
The Alaska Range is a relatively narrow, mountain range in the Southcentral Alaska, southcentral region of the U.S. state of Alaska, from Lake Clark at its southwest endSources differ as to the exact delineation of the Alaska Range. ThBoard on G ...
(), was named after Beckey, after he, Calvin Hebert and John Middendorf climbed it in 1996.[
]
Death
Fred Beckey died of congestive heart failure
Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome caused by an impairment in the heart's ability to fill with and pump blood.
Although symptoms vary based on which side of the heart is affected, HF typically pr ...
, in Seattle, on October 30, 2017 at the age of 94.[
]
First ascents
Partial list of notable first ascents:
* 1939 Mount Despair, North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and ...
* 1940 Forbidden Peak, North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and ...
- with brother Helmy, Lloyd Anderson, Jim Crooks, and Dave Lind.
* 1945 Price Glacier, Mount Shuksan, North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and ...
with Jack Schwabland and Bill Granston
* 1946 ''East Ridge'' Devils Thumb, Alaska
Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
with Bob Craig and Clifford Schmidtke (Aug 25)[
* 1946 ''Liberty Bell'', North Cascades, Washington][
* 1947 Mount Hozomeen's South Peak]
* 1947 North Peak, Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell, previously called the State House Bell or Old State House Bell, is an iconic symbol of American Revolution, American independence located in Philadelphia. Originally placed in the steeple of Pennsylvania State House, now know ...
, North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and ...
- 1947
* 1948 ''North Ridge'' of Mount Baker, North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and ...
Fred Beckey, Ralph and Dick Widrig (August 1948)[
* 1948 Prusik Peak, ]North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and ...
with Art Holben
* 1954 ''Northwest Buttress'' to North Peak, Denali
Denali (), federally designated as Mount McKinley, is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of above sea level. It is the tallest mountain in the world from base to peak on land, measuring . On p. 20 of Helm ...
, Alaska (May 27) with Donald McLean, Charles Wilson, Henry Meybohm and Bill Hackett.[
* 1954 South Ridge, Mount Deborah with ]Heinrich Harrer
Heinrich Harrer (; 6 July 1912 – 7 January 2006) was an Austrian mountaineer, explorer, writer, sportsman, geographer, and briefly SS sergeant. He was a member of the four-man climbing team that made the first ascent of the North Face of the ...
and Henry Meybohm[
* 1954 ''West Ridge'' Mount Hunter (Alaska) - with ]Heinrich Harrer
Heinrich Harrer (; 6 July 1912 – 7 January 2006) was an Austrian mountaineer, explorer, writer, sportsman, geographer, and briefly SS sergeant. He was a member of the four-man climbing team that made the first ascent of the North Face of the ...
and Henry Meybohm[
* 1959 ''Crescent Arete'', Mount Owen, Tetons, with ]Yvon Chouinard
Yvon Chouinard (born November 9, 1938) is an American rock climber, environmentalist, and businessman. His company, Patagonia, sells outdoor products, outerwear, and food. He was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by '' ...
[
* 1959 ''Yocum Ridge'', ]Mount Hood
Mount Hood, also known as Wy'east, is an active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range and is a member of the Cascade Volcanic Arc. It was formed by a subduction zone on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast and rests in the Pacific N ...
, Oregon, with Leo Scheiblehner[
* 1960 ''Outer Space'', ]Leavenworth, Washington
Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, Chelan County, Washington (state), Washington, United States. It is part of the Wenatchee, Washington, Wenatchee−East Wenatchee, Washington, East Wenatchee Wenatchee-East Wenatchee metropolit ...
with Ron Niccoli [
* 1961 North Face of Mount Edith Cavell, ]Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies () or Canadian Rocky Mountains, comprising both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies, is the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. It is the easternmost part of the Canadian Cordillera, w ...
, Canada with Yvon Chouinard
Yvon Chouinard (born November 9, 1938) is an American rock climber, environmentalist, and businessman. His company, Patagonia, sells outdoor products, outerwear, and food. He was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by '' ...
and Dan Doody [
* 1961 ''North Face'', Mount Sir Donald, Rogers Pass, ]British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
with Yvon Chouinard
Yvon Chouinard (born November 9, 1938) is an American rock climber, environmentalist, and businessman. His company, Patagonia, sells outdoor products, outerwear, and food. He was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by '' ...
[
* 1961 ''Beckey-Chouinard Route'' on South Howser Tower, Bugaboos, ]Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
with Yvon Chouinard
Yvon Chouinard (born November 9, 1938) is an American rock climber, environmentalist, and businessman. His company, Patagonia, sells outdoor products, outerwear, and food. He was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by '' ...
* 1961 ''The Priest'', Castle Valley, Utah, with Layton Kor, Harvey Carter, and Annie Carter[
* 1962 ''Question Mark Wall'', Lone Peak Cirque, ]Wasatch Range
The Wasatch Range ( ) or Wasatch Mountains is a mountain range in the western United States that runs about from the Utah-Idaho border south to central Utah. It is the western edge of the greater Rocky Mountains, and the eastern edge of the Gr ...
, Utah[
* 1963 ''Complete North Ridge'', ]Mount Stuart
Mount Stuart is a mountain in the Cascade Range, in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. It is the second highest non-volcanic peak in the state, after Bonanza Peak (Washington), Bonanza Peak and seventh-highest overall. Mount Stua ...
, North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and ...
, Washington with Steve Marts[
* 1963 ''Northeast Buttress'' of Mount Slesse, ]British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
, Canada with Steve Marts and Eric Bjornstad[
* 1963 ''West Buttress'' (IV 5.8 A1), Musembeah Peak, ]Wind River Range
The Wind River Range (or "Winds" for short) is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in western Wyoming in the United States. The range runs roughly NW–SE for approximately . The Continental Divide follows the crest of the range and incl ...
, Wyoming
Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...
(September) with Layton Kor[
* 1963 ''Beckey Route'', Elephant's Perch, Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho][
* 1964 ''Angel's Crest'', The Chief, ]Squamish, British Columbia
Squamish (; , ; 2021 census population 23,819) is a community and a district municipality in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia, located at the north end of Howe Sound on the British Columbia Highway 99 ...
[
* 1965 Mount Sir Donald, Rogers Pass, ]British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
, First Winter Ascent[
* 1966 Mount Seattle, ]Saint Elias Mountains
The Saint Elias Mountains () are a subgroup of the Pacific Coast Ranges, located in southeastern Alaska in the United States, Southwestern Yukon and the very far northwestern part of British Columbia in Canada. The range spans Wrangell-St. Elias ...
, Alaska
* 1967 ''El Matador'' (NCCS IV, A3), Devils Tower
Devils Tower (also known as Mato Tipila or Bear Lodge) is a butte, laccolithic, composed of igneous rock in the Bear Lodge Ranger District of the Black Hills, near Hulett and Sundance in Crook County, northeastern Wyoming, above the Bel ...
, Wyoming. FA with Eric Bjornstad
* 1968 ''Direct East Buttress'' (IV F8 A4), South Early Winter Spire, North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and ...
, Washington. FA with Doug Leen[
* 1968 ''South Face'' (III F8 A1), ]Cathedral Peak (Washington)
Cathedral Peak is an mountain summit located in Okanogan County in Washington state. It is part of the Okanogan Range which is a sub-range of the North Cascades. The mountain is situated in the Pasayten Wilderness, on land administered by th ...
, North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and ...
, Washington. FA with Dave Wagner, John Brottem and Doug Leen[
* 1968 ''Northeast Face'', Mount Hooker, ]Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies () or Canadian Rocky Mountains, comprising both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies, is the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. It is the easternmost part of the Canadian Cordillera, w ...
, Canada. FA with John Rupley[
* 1970 ''Beckey's Spire'' aka Christianity Spire, Sedona Arizona
* 1970, 1972 Zeus and Moses, Utah. FAs with Eric Bjornstad
* 1970 South Face of Charlotte Dome, III 5.7, FA with ]Galen Rowell
Galen Avery Rowell (August 23, 1940 – August 11, 2002) was an American wilderness photographer, adventure photojournalist and mountaineer. Born in Oakland, California, he became a full-time photographer in 1972.
Early life and education
Rowe ...
, Chris Jones[
* 1972 Moses, Canyonlands with Eric Bjornstad][
* 1972 The Tusk, Alaska
* 1976 Mount Emmerich, Alaska
* 1989 ''South Buttress'', Caliban Peak, Arrigetch Peaks, Alaska][
* 1996 Mount Beckey, Cathedral Mountains, Alaska, with John Middendorf and Calvin Hebert
* 1997 ''Bomber Lake Arete'', ]Wind River Range
The Wind River Range (or "Winds" for short) is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in western Wyoming in the United States. The range runs roughly NW–SE for approximately . The Continental Divide follows the crest of the range and incl ...
, Wyoming with Cameron Burns[
]
Other notable ascents
* Second ascent Mount Waddington, British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
- 1942
* Triple ascent of Denali
Denali (), federally designated as Mount McKinley, is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of above sea level. It is the tallest mountain in the world from base to peak on land, measuring . On p. 20 of Helm ...
, Mount Deborah, and Mount Hunter - 1954
* 1989 ''South Face'' of Kedernath, India. Beckey is part of an expedition that makes a very close attempt.[
]
Personality
Timothy Egan captures Fred Beckey's personality in a chapter of ''The Good Rain''. Beckey named Vasiliki Ridge, by Washington Pass, after his one true love. Beckey was a quintessential dirtbag climber, well captured by a classic portrait of him by Corey Rich from 2004 Patagonia
Patagonia () is a geographical region that includes parts of Argentina and Chile at the southern end of South America. The region includes the southern section of the Andes mountain chain with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and glaciers ...
's Fall catalog, where he is trying to hitchhike while holding a sign "Will belay for food".[ His reputation is well known among many climbers, captured in a T-shirt "Beware of Beckey: He will steal your woman, steal your route." ]
Books
* ''Fred Beckey's 100 Favorite North American Climbs'' (Patagonia Inc., 2011, )
* ''Range of Glaciers: The Exploration and Survey of the Northern Cascade Range'' (Oregon Historical Society, 2003 )
* ''Cascade Alpine Guide
Friedrich Wolfgang Beckey (14 January 1923 – 30 October 2017), known as Fred Beckey, was an American rock climber, mountaineer and book author, who in seven decades of climbing achieved hundreds of first ascents of some of the tallest peaks and ...
'' (3 vols.) (Mountaineers Books, 1973–2008)
** ''Columbia River to Stevens Pass'' (1973, 3rd ed. 2000, )
** ''Stevens Pass to Rainy Pass'' (1977, 3rd ed. 2003, )
** ''Rainy Pass to Fraser River'' (1981, 3rd ed. 2008, )
* ''Challenge of the North Cascades'' (1969, 2nd ed. 1996, )
* ''Mount McKinley: Icy Crown of North America'' (Mountaineers Books 1993, paper 1999, )
* ''The Bugaboos: An Alpine History'' (1987) (Introduction Only)
* ''Mountains of North America'' (1986)
* ''Mountains of North America'' (Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is an American environmental organization with chapters in all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. The club was founded in 1892, in San Francisco, by preservationist John Muir. A product of the Pro ...
, 1982)
* ''Darrington and Index Rock Climbing Guide'' (Mountaineers Books, 1976)
* ''Guide to Leavenworth rock-climbing areas'' (Mountaineers Books, 1965)
* ''Climber's Guide to the Cascade and Olympic Mountains of Washington'' (American Alpine Club, 1949, revised edition 1953)
See also
* Snafflehound
References
External links
Biography
at HistoryLink
HistoryLink is an online encyclopedia of Washington (state), Washington state history. The site has more than 8,100 entries and attracts 23,000 weekly visitors. It has 500 biographies and more than 14,000 images.
The non-profit historical organi ...
2011 Profile
in ''The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'' by Michael J. Ybarra
2007 Interview appearing in The Learning Project: Views of Authentic Learning
* ''New York Times'', 16 Dec. 2008
. Video report on Fred Beckey. (The video displays the date of Dec. 16, although the URL states Dec. 15.)
Summer 2012 short film
of Fred climbing in the Dolomites on Vimeo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beckey, Fred
1923 births
2017 deaths
German emigrants to the United States
Mountain climbers from Seattle
University of Washington Foster School of Business alumni