Fred is an elemental force. For over 60 years he creatively
searched for and made new routes and first ascents - more than any
other American and probably more than any other individual in history.
He has spawned a small industry that writes about him - 1500 hits on
Google. Fred taught me about alpine climbing when I went to Seattle
for graduate study. His ability to move rapidly over difficult terrain
was awesome. He understands weather and mountain conditions better
than anyone I have known. I was fortunate to climb with Fred
frequently for five years and occasionally for another fifteen. His
intelligent sensitivity, not often spoken of, is evident in his
writing. Fred's mixture of tenacity and boldness tempered by caution
and backed by experience, has led to his great success and his
survival.
Fred Becky, age 56, on the summit of Mt. Forresta, Alaska, 1979. The
sea is in the background, 10,000 feet below. A few hours later, one
could see the lights of Yakutat, just off the picture right. Fred was
wet and cold, owing to a fall into a crevasse; he was later to be colder,
during a bivouac necessitated by an avalanche on the descent.
Ila added an additional comment in an e-mail:
"Fred's fall into the Mt.
Forresta crevasse was complicated by heavy snow
which fell with him and packed around him. He couldn't move, so a
climber had to go down to dig him out. That took time, causing Fred to
become deeply chilled."
