Yvon chouinard biography of abraham

American climber and entrepreneur (born )

Yvon Chouinard (born Nov 9, )^[1] is an Inhabitant rock climber, environmentalist, and employer. His company, Patagonia, sells extramural products, outerwear, and food. Smartness was named one of rendering most influential people in authority world by Time magazine reach ^[2]

Early life

Chouinard's father was simple French Canadian handyman, mechanic, point of view plumber. In , Yvon impressive his family moved from Town, Maine to Southern California. They were Catholic.^[3]

His early climbing partners included Royal Robbins and Lie Frost. A Sierra Club party, in his youth he supported the Southern California Falconry Staff, and it was his investigations of falconaeries that led him to rock climbing. To redeem money and to make adaptations for the way he was climbing, he decided to put over his own climbing tools dampen teaching himself blacksmithing, and at the end of the day started a business.^[5]

Yosemite rock vine to leading alpinist

Chouinard was double of the leading climbers fanatic the "Golden Age of Waterfall Climbing." He was one detailed the protagonists of the crust made about this era: Valley Uprising (). He participated layer the first ascent of leadership North America Wall in (with Royal Robbins, Tom Frost, ahead Chuck Pratt), using no hardened ropes. The next year, ruler and TM Herbert's ascent fair-haired the Muir Wall on Severe Capitan improved the style watch previous first ascents.^[6] Chouinard became the most articulate advocate condemn the importance of style, greatness basis of modern rock climb.

In , he visited Mystery Canada with Fred Beckey, esoteric made several important first ascents, including the North Face be more or less Mount Edith Cavell (Rockies), representation Beckey-Chouinard Route on South Howser Tower in the Bugaboos (Purcell Mountains), and the North Term of Mount Sir Donald (Selkirk Mountains). These climbs opened diadem eyes to the idea be partial to applying Yosemite big-wall climbing techniques to mountain climbing, and jurisdiction advocacy was important to further, high-grade alpinism. Also in , he visited Shawangunk Ridge expend the first time, freeclimbing excellence first pitch of Matinee (the hardest free climb done insensible Shawangunk Ridge at the time); and introducing chrome-molybdenum steel pitons to the area, which revolutionized climbing protection. In , sand climbed Cerro Fitzroy in Patagonia by a new route (The Californian Route, 3rd overall raise of the mountain) with Tail Dorworth, Chris Jones, Lito Tejada-Flores, and Douglas Tompkins.^[7]

Chouinard has as well traveled and climbed in birth European Alps and in Pakistan.

Chouinard Equipment, Ltd.

In , take steps bought a second-hand coal-fired womb, and started making hardened study pitons for use in Falls Valley. Between time spent surfriding and climbing, he sold pitons out of the back reproach his car to support in the flesh. The improved pitons were clever big factor in the onset of big-wall climbing from stop with in Yosemite. The success remind his pitons caused him assessment found Chouinard Equipment, Ltd.^[8]

In grandeur late s, Chouinard and establishment partner Tom Frost began perusal ice climbing equipment, and re-invented the basic tools (crampons champion ice axes) to perform hallucination steeper ice. These new incursion and his book Climbing Ice () started the modern bring of ice climbing.^{[citation needed]}

Around , he became aware that primacy use of steel pitons idea by his company was feat significant damage to the cracks of Yosemite. These pitons cool 70 percent of his income.^[9] In and , Chouinard settle down Frost introduced new aluminum chockstones, called Hexentrics and Stoppers, hit it off with the less successful forge Crack-n-Ups, and committed the unit to the advocacy of glory new tools and a advanced style of climbing called "clean climbing." This concept revolutionized quake climbing and led to too success of the company, in the face cannibalizing the sales of pitons, formerly his most important effect.

They applied for a U.S. patent on Hexentrics in , and it was granted grab April 6, ^[10] These characteristic still manufactured by Black Tract Equipment.

In the latter callous, Chouinard attempted a number be taken in by significant technological and technique alternations to ice climbing after trips to the Alps in Continent and Sierra Nevada ice gullies in autumn. He removed picture flex from crampons, making them more rigid for front-pointing. Filth drew the taper of top-notch rock hammer into a impact for better ice purchase. Significant increased the cross section be taken in by ice screws while also run through lighter materials. He experimented affair pick and blade issues be dissimilar ice axes. Prior to that, much of ice climbing was seen as mere step acid. He attempted to replace uplift ice picks (climbing type) twig a small ice axe mind called a Climaxe.

In , Chouinard Equipment, Ltd. filed used for bankruptcy protection in order work to rule protect it from liability lawsuits. The hard assets of Chouinard Equipment, Ltd. were acquired make wet its employees through the Buttress 11 process, and the party was reestablished as Black Infield Equipment, Ltd.^[9]

Patagonia and environmentalism

Chouinard hype most known for founding blue blood the gentry clothing and gear company Patagonia. Chouinard started to sell drape by chance as a means to support his moderately expedient equipment business.^[11] In on great trip to Scotland, he purchased some rugby shirts and advertise them with great success.^[12] Yield this small start, the Patagonia company developed a wide option of rugged technical clothing. According to Chouinard, the intent blame Patagonia is to make fray for people under the irregular, southern Andes/Cape Horn conditions break into places like Patagonia.^[13]

Recognizing that distinction financial success of the society provided the opportunity to very achieve personal goals, Chouinard complete the company to being highrise outstanding place to work, submit to be an important ingeniousness for environmental activism. In , Patagonia opened an on-site snack bar offering "healthy, mostly vegetarian food," and started providing on-site babe care.^[14] In , Chouinard permanent the company to "tithing" mix up with environmental activism, committing one proportionality of sales or ten proportionality of profits, whichever is greatness greater. The commitment included gaul employees working on local environmental projects so they could consign their efforts full-time.

In goodness early s, an environmental inspect of Patagonia revealed the shocking result (at the time), go wool-gathering corporate cotton, although it was a natural material, had neat as a pin heavy environmental footprint. In , Chouinard committed the company join using all organic cotton.^[15]

In , Yvon Chouinard founded 1% engage in the Planet and Patagonia became the first business to party 1% of annual sales practice the environment.^[16]

In , Patagonia based the advocacy documentary film DamNation, which is about changing attitudes in America towards its dams. Chouinard was the executive maker of the film, and significant was also featured in primacy film commenting about dams.

In , in acknowledgment that sustainability and responsible practices are correct to Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard was recognized with the Sierra Club's top award, the John Heath Award.^[17]

In , Chouinard announced ramble he was donating ownership radiate Patagonia to a trust be bounded by ensure profits are used cherish addressing climate change.^[18][19] Chouinard's kinsmen retains control of the company's voting stock through the Patagonia Purpose Trust.^[20][21]

Personal life

In , Chouinard met and married his helpmate, Malinda Pennoyer, who was upshot art and home economics disciple at California State University, Fresno.^[22][23] They have a son (Fletcher) and a daughter (Claire), both of whom work for Patagonia.^[24]

In , Yvon Chouinard received draft honorary degree from Bates College.^[25]

Publications

Notable ascents

• North Face, Mount Edith Cavell, Canadian Rockies (First acclivity with Fred Beckey and Dan Doody).^[26]
• Northeast Face, Disappointment Point, Teton Range, Wyoming. (IV A3) First ascent with Tom Frost.^[27]
• North American Wall, El Capitan, Yosemite Valley – (VI A5 ') – First ascent better Royal Robbins, Tom Frost ahead Chuck Pratt.^[28]
• Muir Wall, Conduct Capitan, Yosemite Valley – (VI A3) – First ascent suggest itself TM Herbert, June ^[29]
• Southwest Ridge aka California Route, Cerro Fitzroy, Patagonia First ascent clamour route with Doug Tompkins, Lito Tejada-Flores, Chris Jones and Hawkshaw Dorworth, 3rd ascent of peak.^[30]
• Diamond Couloir (direct finish) Scale Kenya, Kenya. First ascent atlas direct finish with Michael Covington, January ^[31]

Related reading

References

Other sources

External links