H. Adams Carter
Encyclopedia
Hubert Adams "Ad" Carter (6 June 1914 – 1 April 1995) was an American
mountaineer
, language teacher
and was editor of the American Alpine Journal
for 35 years.
Carter was born in Newton, Massachusetts
in 1914, and made his first ascent of Mount Washington
(1,917 metres) at the age of five. He graduated from Milton Academy
in Milton, Massachusetts
in 1932 and from Harvard College
in 1936.
In 1934, Carter participated with Bradford Washburn
in the first ascents of Mount Quincy Adams
(4,150 m) and Mount Crillon
(3,879 m) in Alaska
. In 1936, he was a member of the British-American expedition that made the first ascent of Nanda Devi
(7,816 m) in India
, which remained the highest mountain ever climbed until 1950.
Carter also became a member of the United States Ski Team
, competing in the Alpine World Skiing Championships
in 1937, and the Panamerican championships in 1938.
During World War II
, Carter assisted in the creation and training of the 10th Mountain Division. He translated material in German
, French
, Spanish
, and Italian
for use in writing the first Army
manuals on mountain warfare
, and developing equipment. Carter also interrogated German and Japanese POWs
. In 1945, Carter was awarded a Commendation for Meritorious Civilian Service for his wartime service.
After receiving a master's degree from Middlebury College
in 1947, Carter returned to Milton Academy, where he taught French, German and Spanish until his retirement in 1979. He also founded the school's Ski and Mountaineering Club, which has become the H. Adams Carter Outdoor Program. Carter often used his second home in Jefferson, New Hampshire
as a base camp for school trips to the White Mountains
.
Carter served as an officer of the American Alpine Club
from 1954 to 1958 and as editor of the American Alpine Journal
from 1960 to 1995. Under his tenure as editor the Journal became one of the pre-eminent worldwide journals of record for mountaineering. He continued to participate in mountaineering expeditions, including one to survey Ojos del Salado
(6,893 m) in 1956, several trips to the Cordillera Blanca
in Peru
, and a second expedition to Nanda Devi in 1976, which he co-led with Louis Reichardt
and Willi Unsoeld.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mountaineer
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
, language teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and was editor of the American Alpine Journal
American Alpine Journal
The American Alpine Journal is an annual magazine published by the American Alpine Club. Its mission is "to document and communicate mountain exploration."...
for 35 years.
Carter was born in Newton, Massachusetts
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
in 1914, and made his first ascent of Mount Washington
Mount Washington (New Hampshire)
Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at , famous for dangerously erratic weather. For 76 years, a weather observatory on the summit held the record for the highest wind gust directly measured at the Earth's surface, , on the afternoon of April 12, 1934...
(1,917 metres) at the age of five. He graduated from Milton Academy
Milton Academy
Milton Academy is a coeducational, independent preparatory, boarding and day school in Milton, Massachusetts consisting of a grade 9–12 Upper School and a grade K–8 Lower School. Boarding is offered starting in 9th grade...
in Milton, Massachusetts
Milton, Massachusetts
Milton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States and part of the Greater Boston area. The population was 27,003 at the 2010 census. Milton is the birthplace of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush and architect Buckminster Fuller. Milton also has the highest percentage of...
in 1932 and from Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in 1936.
In 1934, Carter participated with Bradford Washburn
Bradford Washburn
Henry Bradford Washburn, Jr. was an American explorer, mountaineer, photographer, and cartographer. He established the Boston Museum of Science, served as its director from 1939–1980, and from 1985 until his death served as its Honorary Director .Washburn is especially noted for exploits in four...
in the first ascents of Mount Quincy Adams
Mount Quincy Adams (Fairweather Range)
Mount Quincy Adams is a mountain located on the border between United States and Canada. It is named after John Quincy Adams , the sixth president of the United States....
(4,150 m) and Mount Crillon
Mount Crillon
Mount Crillon is a high peak of the Fairweather Range, the southernmost part of the Saint Elias Range. It lies southeast of Mount Fairweather, in the promontory between the Gulf of Alaska and Glacier Bay. It is included in Glacier Bay National Park...
(3,879 m) in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. In 1936, he was a member of the British-American expedition that made the first ascent of Nanda Devi
Nanda Devi
Nanda Devi is the second highest mountain in India and the highest entirely within the country ; owing to this geography it was the highest known mountain in the world until computations on Dhaulagiri by western surveyors in 1808...
(7,816 m) in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, which remained the highest mountain ever climbed until 1950.
Carter also became a member of the United States Ski Team
United States Ski Team
The United States Ski Team, operated under the auspices of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association , develops and supports men's and women's athletes in the sports of alpine skiing, adaptive alpine, freestyle skiing, cross country, adaptive cross country, ski jumping, and nordic combined....
, competing in the Alpine World Skiing Championships
Alpine World Skiing Championships
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships are organized by the International Ski Federation . The first world championships in alpine skiing were held in 1931. During the 1930s, the event was held annually in Europe, until interrupted by the outbreak of World War II, preventing a 1940 event...
in 1937, and the Panamerican championships in 1938.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Carter assisted in the creation and training of the 10th Mountain Division. He translated material in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
for use in writing the first Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
manuals on mountain warfare
Mountain warfare
Mountain warfare refers to warfare in the mountains or similarly rough terrain. This type of warfare is also called Alpine warfare, named after the Alps mountains...
, and developing equipment. Carter also interrogated German and Japanese POWs
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. In 1945, Carter was awarded a Commendation for Meritorious Civilian Service for his wartime service.
After receiving a master's degree from Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
in 1947, Carter returned to Milton Academy, where he taught French, German and Spanish until his retirement in 1979. He also founded the school's Ski and Mountaineering Club, which has become the H. Adams Carter Outdoor Program. Carter often used his second home in Jefferson, New Hampshire
Jefferson, New Hampshire
Jefferson is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,107 at the 2010 census. It is home to parts of the White Mountain National Forest in the south and northeast and to two theme parks: Santa's Village and...
as a base camp for school trips to the White Mountains
White Mountains (New Hampshire)
The White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, they are considered the most rugged mountains in New England...
.
Carter served as an officer of the American Alpine Club
American Alpine Club
The American Alpine Club, or AAC, was founded in 1902 by Charles Ernest Fay, and is the leading national organization in the United States devoted to mountaineering, climbing, and the multitude of issues facing climbers...
from 1954 to 1958 and as editor of the American Alpine Journal
American Alpine Journal
The American Alpine Journal is an annual magazine published by the American Alpine Club. Its mission is "to document and communicate mountain exploration."...
from 1960 to 1995. Under his tenure as editor the Journal became one of the pre-eminent worldwide journals of record for mountaineering. He continued to participate in mountaineering expeditions, including one to survey Ojos del Salado
Ojos del Salado
Nevado Ojos del Salado is a massive stratovolcano in the Andes on the Argentina-Chile border and the highest volcano in the world at . It is also the second highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere and the highest in Chile...
(6,893 m) in 1956, several trips to the Cordillera Blanca
Cordillera Blanca
The Cordillera Blanca is a mountain range in the Ancash Region of Peru. Part of the larger Andes range, it includes 33 major peaks over high in an area wide and long.-Overview:...
in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, and a second expedition to Nanda Devi in 1976, which he co-led with Louis Reichardt
Louis Reichardt
Louis Reichardt is a noted American mountaineer, the first American to summit both Everest and K2. He is also a Professor of Physiology and Biochemistry/Biophysics at UCSF, where he studies neuroscience. The character of Harold Jameson, U.C.S.F...
and Willi Unsoeld.
Notable ascents
- 1934 East Ridge above the Plateau, Mount CrillonMount CrillonMount Crillon is a high peak of the Fairweather Range, the southernmost part of the Saint Elias Range. It lies southeast of Mount Fairweather, in the promontory between the Gulf of Alaska and Glacier Bay. It is included in Glacier Bay National Park...
, Fairweather RangeFairweather RangeThe Fairweather Range is the unofficial name for a mountain range located in the U.S. state of Alaska and the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is the southernmost range of the Saint Elias Mountains...
, AlaskaAlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, USA. FA of peak with Bradford WashburnBradford WashburnHenry Bradford Washburn, Jr. was an American explorer, mountaineer, photographer, and cartographer. He established the Boston Museum of Science, served as its director from 1939–1980, and from 1985 until his death served as its Honorary Director .Washburn is especially noted for exploits in four...
, summit attained July 19, 1934.
External links
- introduction to the H. Adams Carter Papers collection at the Denver Public LibraryDenver Public LibraryThe Denver Public Library is the public library of the city of Denver, Colorado in the United States. Its administrative headquarters is on the 7th floor of the Central Library in Downtown Denver. , the library system had 2,519,977 items in its collection, and a library card base of 417,616 local...
- description of the H. Adams Carter Outdoor Program at Milton Academy (PDFPortable Document FormatPortable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
) - AAJ obituary of Adams Carter (PDF)