Comments on: Charlie Houston Remembered

By: carl weil

carl weil — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:15:20 +0000

PS omission
Warren is Warren Bowman, the great ski instructor Doc- what a writer!

By: carl weil

carl weil — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:59:25 +0000

Today I was saddened to learn of the passing of a great man. I was privileged to have contact with Doctor Charlie. He was a gentleman of the old school and one of the finest kind considerate humans I have known. Ironically I have a book waiting for his signature, something he often did for me with great courtesy. One year he sent a journal from his Banff conference unasked for on my part. When his 5th edition going higher book camp out I once again called him and he graciously spent a lot of time on the phone talking about teaching high altitude with me. I told him that I thought he had written the most amazing book and he proceeded in real modesty to tell me, no it was me teaching the altitude knowledge to students that was more important. This past July at the WMS meeting I talked about him to another Wilderness Medicine Gentleman Doctor, Blair Erb [about Doctor Charlie] and I asked Him why he thought He was such a gentleman of great kindness, Blair said he thought it was a because he had lived through so many hard times in the world that he saw the correct way to live. Blair in my opinion is in the same fine vain as Doctor Charlie. Both of them reminds me of both Sir Edmond Hillary and Warren who I was also fortunate to have been with on several occasions. These Men are precious but passing national, nay world treasures. Doc Charlie was one of the finest-30-
Carl Weil
Wilderness Medicine Outfitters Elizabeth Colorado

By: Dave Watson

Dave Watson — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:44:00 +0000

A legend, an inspiration
I’m grateful for the time that I spent with him. His simple yet heavy questions always made me think about what I could do with my future but more importantly what I could do for the future. What an amazing guy.

By: Glen Anders

Glen Anders — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:10:37 +0000

I first met Dr Houston in the Yukon on the icefields research project at age 12. Naturally, he was my hero and inspiration to be a climber. His Nanda Devi and K2 climbs were breakthroughs(not failures as /NYT) as well as his medical research. Luckily I was able to see him a couple times in the last few years with his tour for Brotherhood of the Rope. He truly embodied the spirit of this brotherhood…climb on!

By: Kay Cahill

Kay Cahill — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:04:06 +0000

I met Dr. Houston during Operation Everest II when he was studing the effects of hypoxia on 9 young climbers in a high altitude chamber. I was there as a TV reporter and found myself completely drawn in by his warm enthusiasm, gracious intelligence, and caring interest in his young subjects. I hope they all are well and have gone on to scale their own great heights in one way or another.

By: Peter Green

Peter Green — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:07:18 +0000

In 1998 our climbing organization – an Explorer Post for teenagers in Portland, Oregon – sponsored a gathering of K2 climbers as a reunion for the 1953 and 1978 American Expeditions. Charlie was a partner in this effort and managed to get his entire 1953 team to fly to Portland. It was a wonderful gathering of 22 K2 veterans. Since that time he had become a good friend, and we exchanged visits across the country four or five times. His particular interest was in forestry and in 2003 we took him for a memorable visit to the Opal Creek Ancient Forest in the Cascades. He had a deep and genuine interest in what we were doing in the Northwest to protect our environment. Subsequent visits to his home in Burlington were invariably a treat, touched with a tinge of sadness each time we had to say Goodbye.

By: prAna blog » Blog Archive » Charlie Houston Dies at 96

prAna blog » Blog Archive » Charlie Houston Dies at 96 — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 08:02:25 +0000

[...] executive director of the American Alpine Club, has written a short remembrance of Houston at the AAC blog. Share and [...]

By: Will Silva

Will Silva — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 02:37:50 +0000

Charlie was a friend and mentor in medicine, mountaineering, and life. His questions are ongoing lessons: “Tell me, are you well and happy? What are you doing for the world?” His unceasing curiosity coupled to a skeptical but positive outlook made him a hero for me.