Karl E. Schneider Rock Climbing Journal

Collection

Identifier: MSSP_10044

Please use the Collection Organization below to place requests

Content Description

The Karl E. Schneider Rock Climbing Journal contains notes and information about more than 80 climbs recorded in a personal logbook by expert climber Karl Edgar Schneider (1955-1984). Most of the climbs were on mountains in the Pacific Northwest from 1973-1983. 12 climbs were on mountains in Maine and New Hampshire from 1971-1975. Five of the climbs were on mountains in France in 1981-1982. One climb was on Denali in Alaska in 1983. The 19 described climbs before 1980 appear to have been recorded in this logbook after-the-fact, while the climbs in 1980 and after appear to have been recorded around the time of the climbs. The climb descriptions vary in length, but most include information about the mountains, the weather, the climbing route, the members of the climbing party, and other descriptive information. At least six of the climbs include hand-drawn sketches of the climbing route. Formats include a journal and drawings.

Dates

Creation: 1970-1983

Creator

Schneider, Karl Edgar, 1955-1984 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

There are no acces restrictions on this collection

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright status for collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Biographical / Historical

See more See less

Karl Edgar Schneider (1955-1984) an accomplished American rock climber and mountaineer was born in Connecticut and raised near Hartford. Schneider began climbing and skiing in his youth, and the earliest climbs recorded in his journal date to 1970 when he was about 15 years old. He graduated from Glastonbury High School in 1972 and attended Bates College and the University of Maine before graduating from Boston University with a degree in geology and chemistry.

In about 1980, he moved from the East Coast to Seattle, Washington, where he worked for the U.S. Gypsum Company. He became heavily involved with the climbing community in the Pacific Northwest and was a member of the Tacoma Mountaineers. He frequently led or participated in climbs on mountains all around the region.

A few years after moving to Seattle, he resigned from U.S. Gypsum to focus on his love of climbing and outdoor winter sports. He became the Managing Director of Leavenworth Alpine Guides of Leavenworth, Washington, and he founded the Ski Acres Cross Country Center, a Nordic Skiing center at Snoqualmie Pass west of Seattle.

In March 1984, he explained his decision to the Everett (Washington) Daily Herald: "They [U.S. Gypsum] wanted to transfer me to the Chicago, the ivory tower corporate headquarters. I just didn't think I'd like it. I've been climbing for 20 years, and skiing for almost 15 years, and it was too much to give up in terms of way of life to marry a company. At the time, it was the toughest decision of my life. Now it's not even a thought" (Ewing, "A Man Doin' What He Likes").

In May 1984, Schneider and his friend Don Pulley traveled to Peru to climb several mountains in the Andes, including Mt. Pisco and Nevado Huascaran. The pair planned to ascend the peaks "alpine style" by carrying all the necessary gear and supplies with them. Before leaving on their journey, Schneider told the Tacoma News Tribune: "I have no concerns about climbing the mountain or the dangers involved." The two climbers left from Los Angeles on Monday, May 7, 1985, for their 35-day trip. (Erickson, "Two Area Climbers to Try Scaling Tough Peru Peak")

On May 15, 1984, Schneider and Pulley were near the peak of Mount Pisco in the Peruvian Andes when a sudden avalanche buried them and killed the two men. Their bodies were never recovered.

++++ Sources:

Gerald Ewing, "A Man Doin' What He Likes," Everett (Washington) Daily Herald 4 March 1984, page 6.

Jim Erickson, "Two Area Climbers to Try Scaling Tough Peru Peak," Tacoma News Tribune 2 May 1984, page 15.

"2 Area Men Killed in Peru," Tacoma News Tribune 22 May 1984, page 20.

"Service Planned in Glastonbury For Climber Killed in Avalanche," Hartford Courant 30 May 1984, page 23.

"Karl Schneider," Tacoma News Tribune 13 June 1984, page 22.

Full Extent

.22 Cubic Feet (1 half document case (legal))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Processing Information

Individual climbs in the Karl Schneider Rock Climbing logbook are described on the finding aid by the location of the climb. Page numbers in the journal are noted for each climb.