Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey

Hailed as one of the most influential climbers of all time, Fred Beckey is the original “Dirtbag”–one who abandons societal norms and material comforts in pursuit of a nomadic mountaineering lifestyle.

Through the 1950s and 60s, Beckey’s accomplishments exceeded anyone in the sport. He shattered records with an unparalleled string of superhuman first ascents, bushwhacking trails and pioneering direct routes thought previously impassable. He burned bridges, eschewed fame and thrived as a loner so that his only obligation would remain conquering the next summit. An environmentalist before there was such a term, Beckey authored 13 seminal books that act as blueprints for new generations of climbers, and he is still defiantly climbing today at age 94.