Rob Slater
{{Short description|20th-century American mountain climber (1960–1995)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Rob Slater
| birth_date = December 6, 1960
| death_date = August 13, 1995
| death_place = K2
| alma_mater = University of Colorado, Boulder
| occupation = Bond trader
| known_for = First ascent of Wyoming Sheep Ranch on El Capitan, 1995 K2 Disaster
}}
Robert John Slater (6 December 1960 – August 13, 1995) was an American mountaineer known for his first ascent of the big wall route Wyoming Sheep Ranch on El Capitan. An avid outdoor recreationalist, Slater made notable climbs 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.
Climbing background
Rob started climbing early, summiting the Grand Teton at age 13 with mountaineering pioneer Paul Petzoldt.{{Cite web |url=http://www.aceeldo.org/images/bro.pdf#search=%22rob%20slater%20climbing%22 |title=Action Committee for Eldorado Newsletter |access-date=4 September 2006 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303170827/http://www.aceeldo.org/images/bro.pdf#search=%22rob%20slater%20climbing%22 |url-status=dead }} He attended high school in Cheyenne, Wyoming and college at the University of Colorado at Boulder, an institution he chose for its proximity to the Flatirons.Sherman, John, Sherman Exposed, 1999, pp. 214–230 Slater climbed the very difficult route Wide Country (11a R) in nearby Eldorado Canyon, which is still considered difficult today despite the availability of sticky rubber climbing shoes and advanced equipment.
While in college, Slater began making summer trips to Yosemite Valley, where he climbed his first big wall route Zodiac with Tom Cosgriff, and Aquarian Wall with Robert Kayen. During his junior year, Slater met Randy Leavitt, who taught Slater how to BASE jump. Attempting a jump with Leavitt in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, 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.
In 1982, he made the first solo ascent of the Pacific Ocean Wall, at the time one of the hardest routes on El Capitan.{{Cite web |last=Osius |first=Alison |date=2022-06-04 |title=Free Soloing Through the Decades, a Compilation |url=https://www.climbing.com/people/free-solo-rock-climbing-alex-honnold-history/ |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=Climbing |language=en-US}} Slater capped his ascent with a BASE jump. In 1984, Slater put up Wyoming Sheep Ranch (A5) with John Barbella.Reid, Don, Yosemite Climbs: Big Walls, 1996 Wyoming Sheep Ranch was considered the most difficult and dangerous aid climb on El Capitan for several years, until being downgraded to A4 later.McNamara, Chris, Yosemite Big Walls: Supertopos, 2000
Slater may be the first person to take a leash-protected fall on a high slackline.[http://forum.slackline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=11 The Evolution of Slacklining] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927223733/http://forum.slackline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=11 |date=27 September 2007 }} by Chris Carpenter In 1983, he set up a short 22 ft line under a freeway overpass in Pasadena with Scott Balcom and others. The line was 80 feet above the ground.
In 1992/93, Slater was the first to summit all the Fisher Towers near Moab, Utah. He contributed to the desert climbing trend of summiting all towers in an area.{{Cite web |title=Tales from the Gripped |url=https://exhibits.americanalpineclub.org/clubhouse/desert-pioneers/17.html |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=exhibits.americanalpineclub.org}}{{Cite web |title=Beaking in Tongues |url=https://www.deserttowersbook.com/beaking-in-tongues |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=DesertTowersBook |language=en-US}}
In 1995, Slater ascended the 3000 ft ice waterfall route Slipstream in the Canadian Rockies without bottled oxygen. It took four attempts to reach the summit.{{Cite web |title=AAC Publications - Rob Slater, 1960-1995 |url=https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199638100/Rob-Slater-1960-1995 |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=publications.americanalpineclub.org}}
= Final climb =
Slater died in a storm on the descent from K2 along with five other team members, including noted English climber Alison Hargreaves.{{Cite web |date=2012-06-15 |title=Disaster on K2 |url=https://www.climbing.com/people/disaster-on-k2/ |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=Climbing |language=en-US}} It was his first attempt at an eight-thousander. His body was never found.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-22 |title=BODIES OF CLIMBERS TO REMAIN ON K2 |url=https://www.deseret.com/1995/8/18/19188366/bodies-of-climbers-to-remain-on-k2/ |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}
Bibliography
See also
External links
- [http://www.xs4all.nl/~rmvl/en/alison.html The Last Ascent of Alison Hargreaves] – Originally from Outside Magazine
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