Richard M. Leonard
Encyclopedia
Richard Manning Leonard was an American rock climber
, environmentalist
and attorney
. He served as president of the Sierra Club
and the Save the Redwoods League, and was active in the Wilderness Society and the American Alpine Club
. Leonard was born in Elyria
, Ohio and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley
and also received his law degree from the University of California
.
On March 13, 1932, Leonard formed the Cragmont Climbing Club in Berkeley
, California with Jules Eichorn
, Bestor Robinson
and several others. Leonard took a systematic, experimental approach to rock climbing safety and technology, repeatedly testing climber falls and belaying
techniques under carefully controlled conditions. Steve Roper
called Leonard "the father of California rock climbing". In November, 1932, the Cragmont Climbing Club merged with the Sierra Club's new Rock Climbing Section.
In 1934, Leonard, along with Bestor Robinson and Jules Eichorn completed the first ascent of the Eichorn Pinnacle on Cathedral Peak
, near Tuolumne Meadows
in Yosemite National Park
.
In 1934, Leonard, Eichorn and Robinson assembled the most advanced set of climbing gear then in use in North America, much of which they had obtained from Germany, and successfully climbed Higher Cathedral Spire in Yosemite Valley
. This was the first major technical ascent in the famous scenic valley that became a mecca of rock climbing.
During the Second World War Leonard served in the United States Army
and was assigned to the Office of the Quartermaster general
along with Bestor Robinson, where they worked on the development of improved equipment and clothing for the army's mountain divisions. They joined a skilled wartime team led by Robert Bates
that included mountaineers William P. House, H. Adams Carter
, Terris Moore
, Bradford Washburn
and Australian arctic explorer Hubert Wilkins
.
On April 20, 1948, Leonard became a founding director and general counsel for Varian Associates
, a pioneering scientific instrument company in what later became known as Silicon Valley
.
Robinson served on the board of directors of the Sierra Club from 1938 to 1972. He served as president of the Sierra Club from 1953 to 1955.
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
, environmentalist
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
and attorney
Attorney at law
An attorney at law in the United States is a practitioner in a court of law who is legally qualified to prosecute and defend actions in such court on the retainer of clients. Alternative terms include counselor and lawyer...
. He served as president of the Sierra Club
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
and the Save the Redwoods League, and was active in the Wilderness Society and 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...
. Leonard was born in Elyria
Elyria, Ohio
-Community:Elyria has an extensive, although financially burdened, community food pantry and "Hot Meals" program administered through the Second Harvest Food Bank and several churches Elyria is served by Elyria Memorial Hospital.-Recreation and parks:...
, Ohio and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
and also received his law degree from the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
.
On March 13, 1932, Leonard formed the Cragmont Climbing Club in Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, California with Jules Eichorn
Jules Eichorn
Jules Eichorn was a California mountaineer, environmentalist and music teacher.- Early years :Jules Marquard Eichorn was born in San Francisco on February 7, 1912 to Hilmar and Frieda Eichorn, who were immigrants from Germany...
, Bestor Robinson
Bestor Robinson
Bestor Robinson was a California mountaineer, environmentalist, attorney and inventor. He was a law partner of Earl Warren, later governor of California and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Robinson was a long time leader of the Sierra Club...
and several others. Leonard took a systematic, experimental approach to rock climbing safety and technology, repeatedly testing climber falls and belaying
Belaying
thumb|200px|right|A belayer is belaying behind a lead climberBelaying refers to a variety of techniques used in climbing to exert friction on a climbing rope so that a falling climber does not fall very far...
techniques under carefully controlled conditions. Steve Roper
Steve Roper
Steve Roper is a noted climber and historian of the Sierra Nevada in the United States. He along with Allen Steck are the founding editors of the Sierra Club journal Ascent.Roper is the winner of the Sierra Club's Francis P...
called Leonard "the father of California rock climbing". In November, 1932, the Cragmont Climbing Club merged with the Sierra Club's new Rock Climbing Section.
Cathedral Peak (California)
Cathedral Peak is part of the Cathedral Range, a mountain range in the south-central portion of Yosemite National Park in eastern Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties. The range is an offshoot of the Sierra Nevada...
, near Tuolumne Meadows
Tuolumne Meadows
Tuolumne Meadows is a gentle, dome-studded sub-alpine meadowy section of the Tuolumne River, in the eastern section of Yosemite National Park. Its approximate location is . Its approximate elevation is 8619 feet .-Natural History:...
in Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
.
In 1934, Leonard, Eichorn and Robinson assembled the most advanced set of climbing gear then in use in North America, much of which they had obtained from Germany, and successfully climbed Higher Cathedral Spire in Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
. This was the first major technical ascent in the famous scenic valley that became a mecca of rock climbing.
During the Second World War Leonard served in the United States 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...
and was assigned to the Office of the Quartermaster general
Quartermaster general
A Quartermaster general is the staff officer in charge of supplies for a whole army.- The United Kingdom :In the United Kingdom, the Quartermaster-General to the Forces is one of the most senior generals in the British Army...
along with Bestor Robinson, where they worked on the development of improved equipment and clothing for the army's mountain divisions. They joined a skilled wartime team led by Robert Bates
Robert Bates (mountaineer)
Robert Hicks Bates was an American mountaineer, author and teacher, who is best remembered for his parts in the first ascent of Mount Lucania and the American expeditions to K2 in 1938 and 1953.-Early life:...
that included mountaineers William P. House, H. Adams Carter
H. Adams Carter
Hubert Adams "Ad" Carter was an American mountaineer, language teacher and was editor of the American Alpine Journal for 35 years....
, Terris Moore
Terris Moore
Terris Moore was an explorer, mountaineer, light plane pilot, and the second president of the University of Alaska....
, 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...
and Australian arctic explorer Hubert Wilkins
Hubert Wilkins
Sir Hubert Wilkins MC & Bar was an Australian polar explorer, ornithologist, pilot, soldier, geographer and photographer.-Early life:...
.
On April 20, 1948, Leonard became a founding director and general counsel for Varian Associates
Varian Associates
Varian Associates was one of the first high-tech companies in Silicon Valley. It was founded in 1948 by Russell H. and Sigurd F. Varian, William Webster Hansen, and Edward Ginzton to sell the klystron, the first tube which could generate electromagnetic waves at microwave frequencies, and other...
, a pioneering scientific instrument company in what later became known as Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
.
Robinson served on the board of directors of the Sierra Club from 1938 to 1972. He served as president of the Sierra Club from 1953 to 1955.