Rob Slater
Encyclopedia
Rob Slater was an American mountaineer known for his first ascent of the big wall route Wyoming Sheep Ranch on El Capitan
. A tireless outdoor recreationalist, Slater built up an impressive climbing resume during his college years and later as he worked as a trader on the Chicago Board of Trade and for Goldman Sachs. He died on August 13, 1995, while descending from the summit of K2
.
Rob started climbing early, summiting the Grand Teton
at age 13 with mountaineering pioneer Paul Petzoldt
. He attended high school in Cheyenne, Wyoming
and college at the University of Colorado at Boulder
, an institution he chose for its beautiful location beneath the Flatirons
and, according to fellow climber John Sherman
, its beautiful coeds. Slater soon demonstrated his nerve in nearby Eldorado Canyon by dispatching the testpiece route Wide Country (11a R), still difficult today even though the availability of sticky rubber climbing shoes and micronuts has reduced the challenge.
While in college, Slater began making summer trips to Yosemite Valley
, where he climbed his first big wall route Zodiac with Tom Cosgriff. During his junior year Slater met Randy Leavitt, who taught Slater how to BASE jump. Attempting a risky jump with Leavitt in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Slater was forced to make a downwind landing on the wrong side of the river, twisting his foot and scrubbing their plans to exit the canyon by climbing one of the walls.
Slater was one of the top aid climbers
of his day. In 1982 he made the first solo ascent of the Pacific Ocean Wall, at the time one of the hardest routes on El Capitan. Slater naturally capped his ascent with a BASE jump. In 1984 Slater put up Wyoming Sheep Ranch (A5) with John Barbella. Caught by nightfall in the middle of a difficult and overhung pitch, Slater lowered off 40' on hooks, and Barbella had to pull him in 20' to the belay. Wyoming Sheep Ranch held title for many years as the most difficult and dangerous aid climb on El Cap, but the inevitable widening of placements and appearance of fixed gear has subsequently reduced the grade to A4.
As a specialist in climbs with poor protection, Slater was drawn to the Fisher Towers
near Moab, Utah
, famous for their soft, crumbly rock. Slater was the first and as of 1995 the only climber to summit all of the towers.
Slater may be the first person to take a leash-protected fall on a highline slackline. In 1983 he set up a short 22' line under a freeway overpass in Pasadena
with Scott Balcom and others. The line was 80' above the ground. Even though Slater only had 15 minutes of slacklining practice at the ground level, he was the first in the group to attempt to walk the line.
Slater excelled at all types of climbing, having ascended the 3000' ice route Slipstream in the Canadian Rockies
as well as K2
without bottled oxygen. Slater perished in a storm on the descent from K2 along with 5 other climbers, including his team member, noted female climber Alison Hargreaves
.
El Capitan
El Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
. A tireless outdoor recreationalist, Slater built up an impressive climbing resume during his college years and later as he worked as a trader on the Chicago Board of Trade and for Goldman Sachs. He died on August 13, 1995, while descending from the summit of K2
K2
K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest...
.
Rob started climbing early, summiting the Grand Teton
Grand Teton
Grand Teton is the highest mountain in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park, and a classic destination in American mountaineering.- Geography :...
at age 13 with mountaineering pioneer Paul Petzoldt
Paul Petzoldt
Paul Kiesow Petzoldt was one of America's most accomplished mountaineers. He is perhaps best known for establishing the National Outdoor Leadership School in 1965. Paul made his first ascent of the Grand Teton in 1924 at the age of 16, becoming the youngest person at the time to have done so...
. He attended high school in Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
and college at the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
, an institution he chose for its beautiful location beneath the Flatirons
Flatirons
The Flatirons are rock formations near Boulder, Colorado consisting of flatirons. There are five large, numbered Flatirons ranging from north to south along the east slope of Green Mountain, and the term "The Flatirons" sometimes refers to these five alone...
and, according to fellow climber John Sherman
John Sherman (climber)
John Sherman , nicknamed Verm is an American climber and a pioneering boulderer. He is also a writer and photographer. He is the originator of the V-scale for grading boulder problems....
, its beautiful coeds. Slater soon demonstrated his nerve in nearby Eldorado Canyon by dispatching the testpiece route Wide Country (11a R), still difficult today even though the availability of sticky rubber climbing shoes and micronuts has reduced the challenge.
While in college, Slater began making summer trips to 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...
, where he climbed his first big wall route Zodiac with Tom Cosgriff. During his junior year Slater met Randy Leavitt, who taught Slater how to BASE jump. Attempting a risky jump with Leavitt in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Slater was forced to make a downwind landing on the wrong side of the river, twisting his foot and scrubbing their plans to exit the canyon by climbing one of the walls.
Slater was one of the top aid climbers
Aid climbing
Aid climbing is a style of climbing in which standing on or pulling oneself up via devices attached to fixed or placed protection is used to make upward progress....
of his day. In 1982 he made the first solo ascent of the Pacific Ocean Wall, at the time one of the hardest routes on El Capitan. Slater naturally capped his ascent with a BASE jump. In 1984 Slater put up Wyoming Sheep Ranch (A5) with John Barbella. Caught by nightfall in the middle of a difficult and overhung pitch, Slater lowered off 40' on hooks, and Barbella had to pull him in 20' to the belay. Wyoming Sheep Ranch held title for many years as the most difficult and dangerous aid climb on El Cap, but the inevitable widening of placements and appearance of fixed gear has subsequently reduced the grade to A4.
As a specialist in climbs with poor protection, Slater was drawn to the Fisher Towers
Fisher Towers
Fisher Towers are a series of towers made of Cutler sandstone capped with Moenkopi sandstone and caked with a stucco of red mud located near Moab, Utah . The Towers are named for a miner who lived near them in the 1880s. The Tower is world renowned as a subject for photography and for its classic...
near Moab, Utah
Moab, Utah
Moab is a city in Grand County, in eastern Utah, in the western United States. The population was 4,779 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat and largest city in Grand County. Moab hosts a large number of tourists every year, mostly visitors to the nearby Arches and Canyonlands National Parks...
, famous for their soft, crumbly rock. Slater was the first and as of 1995 the only climber to summit all of the towers.
Slater may be the first person to take a leash-protected fall on a highline slackline. In 1983 he set up a short 22' line under a freeway overpass in Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
with Scott Balcom and others. The line was 80' above the ground. Even though Slater only had 15 minutes of slacklining practice at the ground level, he was the first in the group to attempt to walk the line.
Slater excelled at all types of climbing, having ascended the 3000' ice route Slipstream in the Canadian Rockies
Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, extending from the Interior Plains of Alberta to the Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA...
as well as K2
K2
K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest...
without bottled oxygen. Slater perished in a storm on the descent from K2 along with 5 other climbers, including his team member, noted female climber Alison Hargreaves
Alison Hargreaves
Alison Jane Hargreaves was an English mountain climber from Derbyshire. Educated at Belper School, her accomplishments included scaling Mount Everest solo without supplementary oxygen in 1995. She also soloed all the great north faces of the Alps in a single season—a first for any climber...
.
Quotes
Often misquoted as proclaiming, "Summit or die, either way I win." In fact, he liked to say, "Summit or plummet" as a joke and to be provocative, but he did not have a death wish. On the contrary, he loved life and lived every day to its fullest.External links
- The Last Ascent of Alison Hargreaves - Originally from Outside Magazine