You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again… So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below.

Lou Whittaker (February 10, 1929 – March 24, 2024) was a legendary mountaineer and a pioneer of supporting Washington’s wild places. In 1993, alongside Dan Evans and other community leaders, Lou founded Washington’s National Park Fund, recognizing the need for additional support for the national parks in Washington State.

Founder of Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI), now RMI Expeditions, Lou was a legend on Mount Rainier with over 250 summits and leading thousands of novice and experienced climbers to the 14,410′ summit of Mount Rainier. He also climbed in Alaska, the Himalaya, and the Karakoram. In 1984, he led the first successful American summit of the North Col of Mount Everest. The team consisted of guides who gained much of their knowledge while working for RMI Expeditions.

Lou was very involved with many organizations and remained involved with Washington’s National Park Fund as an Honorary Board Member and friend of the Fund to his passing. He is deeply missed.

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