20th-century American mountain climber (1960–1995)
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Robert John Slater
Personal information
Nationality
American
Born
(1960-12-06)December 6, 1960[1]
Died
August 13, 1995(1995-08-13) (aged 34) K2, Pakistan
Climbing career
Type of climber
Mountaineering
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. A tireless outdoor recreationalist, Slater built up an impressive climbing resume 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.
Rob started climbing early, summiting the Grand Teton at age 13 with mountaineering pioneer Paul Petzoldt.[2] He attended high school in Cheyenne, Wyoming and college at the University of Colorado at Boulder, an institution he chose for its beautiful location beneath the Flatirons and, according to fellow climber John Sherman, its beautiful female students.[3] Slater soon demonstrated his nerve in nearby Eldorado Canyon by dispatching the testpiece route Wide Country (11a R), still difficult today even though the availability of sticky rubber climbing shoes and micronuts has reduced the challenge.
While in college, Slater began making summer trips to Yosemite Valley, where he climbed his first big wall route Zodiac with Tom Cosgriff and climbed Aquarian Wall with Robert Kayen. During his junior year Slater met Randy Leavitt, who taught Slater how to BASE jump. Attempting a risky jump with Leavitt in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, 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.
Slater was one of the top aid climbers of his day. In 1982, he made the first solo ascent of the Pacific Ocean Wall, at the time one of the hardest routes on El Capitan. Slater naturally capped his ascent with a BASE jump. In 1984 Slater put up Wyoming Sheep Ranch (A5) with John Barbella.[4] Caught by nightfall in the middle of a difficult and overhung pitch, Slater lowered off 40' on hooks, and Barbella had to pull him in 20' to the belay. Wyoming Sheep Ranch held title for many years as the most difficult and dangerous aid climb on El Cap, but the inevitable widening of placements and appearance of fixed gear has subsequently reduced the grade to A4.[5]
As a specialist in climbs with poor protection, Slater was drawn to the Fisher Towers near Moab, Utah, famous for their soft, crumbly rock. Slater was the first and as of 1995 the only climber to summit all of the towers.[3]
Slater may be the first person to take a leash-protected fall on a highline slackline.[6] In 1983 he set up a short 22' line under a freeway overpass in Pasadena with Scott Balcom and others. The line was 80' above the ground. Even though Slater only had 15 minutes of slacklining practice at the ground level, he was the first in the group to attempt to walk the line.
Slater excelled at all types of climbing, having ascended the 3000' ice route Slipstream in the Canadian Rockies as well as K2 without bottled oxygen. Slater perished in a storm on the descent from K2 along with 5 other climbers, including his team member, noted English climber Alison Hargreaves.
^Social Security Death Index
^Action Committee for Eldorado Newsletter
^ abSherman, John, Sherman Exposed, 1999, pp. 214–230
^Reid, Don, Yosemite Climbs: Big Walls, 1996
^McNamara, Chris, Yosemite Big Walls: Supertopos, 2000
Evolution of Slacklining by Chris Carpenter "Honed: RobSlater, Summit or Death, Either Way I Win" By Rich Slater 2011 1995 K2 disaster The Last Ascent of Alison...
Hargreaves and Spaniard Javier Olivar reached the summit, followed by American RobSlater, Spaniards Javier Escartín and Lorenzo Ortíz, and New Zealander Bruce...
Helen Rachel Slater (born December 15, 1963) is an American actress and singer-songwriter. Slater was born in Bethpage, New York to Alice Joan (née Citrin)...
live-action roles, Slater has had an extensive voice-acting career, with roles like Pips in FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992), Slater in Archer (2014–2023)...
Slater (born February 11, 1972) is an American professional surfer, best known for being crowned World Surf League champion a record 11 times. Slater...
EastEnders' Sean Slater now!". Daily Mirror. May 2015. "BBC soap suspends 'obscene' actor". BBC News. 8 January 2007. "EastEnders' Sean Slater to make dramatic...
Hargreaves and Spaniard Javier Olivar reached the summit, followed by American RobSlater, Spaniards Javier Escartín and Lorenzo Ortíz, and New Zealander Bruce...
Tangerine Trip by David Mittel in 1985; and The Pacific Ocean Wall by RobSlater in 1982. These ascents took 7 to 14 days that required the solo climber...
government ministers. Slater has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Lothian region since 2021. Lorna Slater was born in Calgary in...
self-titled 7-inch EP (with original guitarist RobSlater) and one album with Easter replacing Slater, In the Red (1978). When the Sneakers disbanded...
Rob Zombie (born Robert Bartleh Cummings; January 12, 1965) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and actor. His music and lyrics...
Slate wrote, "Rob Brydon, plays Tristram’s Uncle Toby, a blustering war veteran with a wound in an unspeakable place. In the modern-day scenes, Rob Brydon...
Sean Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Robert Kazinsky, who made his first appearance on 22 August 2006. Sean's...
Richard Van Slater (May 19, 1951 – October 18, 2018) better known by his ring name "Dirty" Dick Slater, was an American professional wrestler who wrestled...
goal. Slater was born in Ormskirk, Lancashire, England, and migrated to Australia with his family where he started his playing career. Slater played...
Noah's Ark. The film stars the voices of Miles Teller, Aubrey Plaza, Jenny Slate, Rob Riggle, Craig Robinson and Stephen Merchant. The story follows an outcast...
Launch" were based. Blaze Bayley – vocals Steve Wray – guitar John Slater – guitar Rob Naylor – bass Jeff Singer – drums Beebee, Steve (20 May 2000). "Albums"...
Retrieved July 17, 2023. Greenberg, David (October 16, 2000). "Was Nixon Robbed?". Slate. von Hippel, Paul (August 8, 2017). "Here's a voter fraud myth: Richard...
principals of Townsville State High School include: October 2015 – current: RobSlater 2013–2015: Frank Greene, retired 2012: Scott Stewart, now the Member of...
her supposedly sister Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan), revealed to be her daughter after she was raped by her uncle Harry Slater (Michael Elphick) as a child...
drama film directed by Matthew Robbins. It stars Helen Slater, Keith Gordon, Christian Slater, Dean Stockwell, Richard Bradford and Peter Coyote and Martha...
"Marc Alan Fishman: Rob Liefeld Vs. Batman". ComicMix. Weigel, David (January 21, 2013). "Rob Liefeld's Sharper Image". Slate. Cederlund, Scott (January...
Retrieved March 17, 2020. Greenberg, David (October 16, 2000). "Was Nixon Robbed?". Slate. Archived from the original on September 8, 2011. Retrieved March 17...
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