Richard Bass
Richard Daniel Bass | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 December 1929 Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Died | 26 July 2015 (aged 85) Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, ranch owner, mountaineer |
| Known for | First climber to complete the Seven Summits; ownership of Snowbird Ski Resort |
Richard Daniel Bass (December 21, 1929 – July 26, 2015) was a prominent American entrepreneur, ranch owner, and mountaineering pioneer. He held ownership of Snowbird Ski Resort located in Utah and earned distinction as the inaugural climber to conquer the "Seven Summits", which represent the tallest peaks across each continent.
At the age of 55 in 1985, Bass set a new record as the oldest individual to reach the summit of Mount Everest, ascending alongside David Breashears and Nepalese sherpa Ang Phurba. This achievement surpassed the previous age record by five years and remained unbeaten until Ramon Blanco exceeded it in 1993.
Early life
Bass was born on December 21, 1929, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was the son of Harry W. Bass, Sr., who co-founded both the Goliad Corporation and Goliad Oil and Gas Corporation. Along with his brother, Harry W. Bass, Jr., the family moved to Texas in 1932.
He received his early education at Texas Country Day School followed by Highland Park High School in Dallas. At just 16 years old, Bass enrolled at Yale University, where he earned a degree in geology in 1950. He pursued graduate studies at the University of Texas before serving two years in the U.S. Navy aboard an aircraft carrier during the Korean War.
Career
In 1953, Bass returned to Texas to oversee his family’s ventures in oil, gas, and ranching. His holdings included ranch properties situated in Central Texas.
During the 1960s, he contributed $10,000 toward developing the Vail Ski Resort in Vail, Colorado. There he constructed the largest private home, which later functioned as the Winter White House under President Gerald Ford. Bass was a member of Vail Associates, Inc.’s Board of Directors from 1966 until 1971. In partnership with investor Ted Johnson, he co-established the Snowbird ski resort in 1971 and maintained full ownership until selling his interest in May 2014.
Mountaineering
Together with Frank Wells, who would later become president of The Walt Disney Company, Bass pursued climbing the highest summit on every continent: including Denali, Aconcagua, Mount Elbrus, Mount Kilimanjaro, Vinson Massif, Mount Kosciuszko, and finally Mount Everest. This endeavor became recognized as the Seven Summits Challenge.
After an initial unsuccessful attempt on Everest, Bass successfully reached its peak on April 30, 1985, assisted by guide David Breashears. This accomplishment made him the oldest climber at that time to reach Everest’s summit and completed his quest for all Seven Summits. Wells chose not to retry Everest and passed away in 1994. Bass co-wrote Seven Summits, chronicling their expedition. The "Bass List" is one of two prominent accepted versions of these summits; it differs from the "Messner List," which replaces Mount Kosciuszko with Carstensz Pyramid.
In Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air, Bass’s ascent is credited with initiating a "postmodern era" marked by commercial guided climbs on Everest. This development transformed Everest expeditions into a profitable industry attracting climbers with less experience willing to pay substantial fees.
Personal life
Bass was married three times: initially to Rita Crocker, followed by Marian Martin, and lastly Alice Worsham. He fathered two sons—Jim and Richard Jr. (Dan)—as well as twin daughters named Bonnie Bass Smith and Barbara Bass Moroney.
Death
Bass passed away on July 26, 2015, in Dallas, Texas, due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. His memorial service was held at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Dallas on July 31, 2015.
See also
- Lists of mountains (for additional climbing compilations)
External links
- Pages with script errors
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- American businesspeople in the oil industry
- Businesspeople from Texas
- Ranchers from Texas
- 1929 births
- 2015 deaths
- American mountain climbers
- American summiters of Mount Everest
- Summiters of the Seven Summits
- Businesspeople from Tulsa, Oklahoma
- People from Dallas
- 20th-century American businesspeople
- 21st-century American businesspeople
- St. Mark's School (Texas) alumni
- Yale College alumni
- University of Texas at Austin alumni