Jim Baldwin Memorial Award to be Given to Climbers

MONDAY, 30 JUNE 2008
Submitted By: Maricar Cinco

In honor of Jim Baldwin, one of the climbing pioneers, climbers will soon be recognized for the role they played in climbing a new route in the Squamish area. The Jim Baldwin Memorial award, sponsored by Mountain Equipment Co-op, is presented annually during the Squamish Mountain Festival.

A three-foot tall steel and granite trophy will be inscribed with the name or names of the winner or winners and the routes completed. According to festival producer Ivan Hughes, "the idea was to commemorate the ground-breaking climbs of past generations and acknowledging the great climbs that are still happening out there today." The 2008 Squamish Mountain Festival will be held on July 17.

Jim Baldwin was known for his participation in many ascents in Squamish, including the area's first technical climb in 1958. He also wrote the first Squamish climbing guide, made the first ascent of Grand Wall with Ed Cooper in 1961, and traveled to Yosemite Valley where he joined the first ascent of Dihedral Wall on El Capitan in 1962. In 1964, Baldwin died in a rappelling accident at Washington Column.

For more details on this news, please visit www.squamishchief.com.