| Ed Webster |
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Ed Webster (b. 1956) grew up around Boston, where he learned to climb at age eleven on small cliffs near his home. While attending Colorado College in C. Springs in the mid-70s, Ed met the reigning climbing talents of the Garden of the Gods: Jimmy Dunn, Earl Wiggins, and Bryan Becker. In November, 1976, Ed journeyed to Indian Creek Canyon for the first time and with Wiggins and Becker made the first ascent of Super Crack (5.10). Ed led the climb's second pitch. It was the first of Ed's numerous new routes in Canyonlands; other Webster routes include the Lightning Bolt Cracks (5.11) on N. Sixshooter, The FFA of the N. Face of Castleton (5.11), and the first ascent (rope-solo) and the first free ascent of The Primrose Dihedrals (5.11+) on Moses. In the Black Canyon, Ed pioneered over a dozen high-quality free climbs, including the mega-classic Scenic Cruise (5.11), The Journey Home (5.10+), and Escape Artist. In Yosemite, Ed made the first 2-man ascent of the Pacific Ocean Wall; In Arctic Norway, Ed opened up the now-popular rock climbing area of the Lofoten Islands, making over 20 first ascents and authoring the first guidebook to Lofoten: Climbing in the Magic Islands. ( Ed also authored three editions of Rock Climbs in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. ) In Asia, Ed participated on three Mt. Everest expeditions, culminating on the first ascent of a new route up Everest's Kangshung Face made in 1988 with a team of four climbers, and without the usual luxuries of oxygen bottles, radios, or Sherpa assistance. His autobiography, Snow in the Kingdom, My Storm Years on Everest, was hailed by Outside Magazine as one of the 10 Best Everest books. He now lives in Maine with his wife and daughter. |
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