Lou Whittaker to speak at West Seattle High School and screen documentary, “A Life in the Mountains.”
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Join renowned mountaineer and West Seattle native Lou Whittaker for a special presentation, “A Life in the Mountains,” at 6:30 pm Monday, May 19, 2014, at West Seattle High School Theater.

The event is a fundraiser for the Southwest Seattle Historical Society.

Whittaker will speak about his West Seattle roots and screen an hour-long documentary, “A Life in the Mountains: The Legacy of Lou Whittaker.” He is especially pleased to make this presentation at his alma mater.

One of America’s most respected climbers for more than six decades, Whittaker began his mountaineering career as a teenager in the Pacific Northwest, climbing in the Olympic and Cascade ranges with his twin brother, Jim.

Whittaker’s name is synonymous with Mount Rainier, where he has guided thousands to its summit since his own first ascent of the mountain at age 19. He stepped naturally into coveted spots on expeditions to formidable peaks in Alaska, the Himalaya and the Karakorum and went on to lead the expedition that made the first American ascent of the North Col pass on Mount Everest in 1984.

The documentary film examines the impact of Whittaker on the sport of mountaineering and how his efforts have changed the sport’s landscape. It features stories from Whittaker, his family and climbing luminaries Sir Edmund Hillary, Sir Chris Bonington, Jim Wickwire and John Roskelley Sr.

Admission to this event is $10 for members of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, and $15 for others. Annual memberships, available
at the event, start at $25, with a rate of $15 for students and seniors.

Whittaker’s book, “Lou Whittaker: Memoirs of a Mountain Life,” will be on sale at the event, with 50 percent of proceeds going to the historical society.

For more information on Whittaker, see his website, louwhittaker.com, and for more information on the event, see the Southwest Seattle Historical Society website, loghousemuseum.info.