• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop
    • Accessories
    • Men’s & Unisex Fit
    • Women’s Fit
    • Featured
    • Latest
    • Cart
  • Calendar
  • Gear
  • Destinations
  • Archive
  • Forum
  • Members
    • Register
    • Login
    • Logout
  • Cart

Northwest in Motion

Inspiring, informing, and connecting cyclists, runners, hikers, and skiers

Home » Mountaineering » Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey

Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey

July 12, 2018 by David Longdon Leave a Comment

If you play in the mountains or cliffs anywhere from Alaska to Southern California, Fred Beckey’s life has touched yours.

Beckey was the original climbing “dirtbag,” and among his many firsts, pioneered an obsessive-compulsive climbing lifestyle that spanned 80 years.

The recently released Kickstarted documentary “Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey” provides insight and context about Beckey’s complex life. The film includes interviews with some of the world’s greatest climbers and authors––including Timothy Egan, Yvon Chouinard, Layton Kor, Conrad Anker, Royal Robbins and Reinhold Messner.

Beckey was born in Düsseldorf, Germany, his family immigrated to the United States in 1925, and they settled in Seattle. Beckey began climbing as a teen in Washington’s North Cascades with his brother Helmy. In 1942, the teenagers made an unlikely second ascent of Mount Waddington in British Columbia’s remote Coast Mountains, which was considered the most difficult climb in North America at the time. Fred just kept on climbing, with a focus on aesthetic, challenging first ascents. First ascents are considered harder than subsequent ascents because of the unknowns involved.

Beckey authored numerous climbing guidebooks for The Mountaineers.

Check out the new documentary, which is bound to amuse and inform, whether you are a mountaineer or simply enjoy day hikes in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.

Climbing magazine obituary about Fred: January 14, 1923-October 30, 2017 (94)

Related

Support Small & Local Businesses: Shop Northwest in Motion

We source directly from small and family-owned businesses in Italy and Europe.

This enables us to sell unique, high-quality fitness attire at reasonable prices.

Get updates about the freshest additions to our inventory: Subscribe, or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

Filed Under: Mountaineering, Movie/presentation, Personalities

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Inspired | Informed | Connected

We’re here to inspire, inform, and connect you with like-minded cyclists, runners, and fitness enthusiasts.

Running in the rainNorthwest in Motion was created by David Longdon, and is produced with a cadre of creative collaborators.

Bellevue pop up Italian Home & Kitchen
Francesca Carmichael manages our retail experiences.

Gear Wisdom

About our Brands
Merino Wool Works in the PNW
Road Rash Wound Care
How to Layer for the Pacific Northwest
Gearing up for a Bikepacking Epic
Women Gear Up for Bikepacking
Gearing Up for Bikepacking
How to Choose Cycling Shorts
Swiftwick Merino Wool @ Bridle Trails
How to Wash your Kit

Bicycle Helmet Safety Ratings
Hi Vis Helmet Hack

The n + 1: Platypus Tokul XC 8.0 & B-Line 8.0
The n + 1: Oakley Flak 2.0 XL w/ Day & Night Contrast Lenses
The n + 1: Roka Eyewear
The n + 1: Sensity Photochromic Lenses
The n + 1: Bialetti Moka Express

More Gear Reviews & Tips

Connect

Login or Register to comment and participate in the Forum.

Subscribe to our email Newsletter to get content and inventory updates.

Search

Follow

Share

Footer

About
Contact

Partner
Advertise
Subscribe

Returns and Shipping Policy
Terms of Use
Privacy

Copyright © 2022 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in