1918day.year
Dee Molenaar
(1918 - 2020)
American mountaineer
American mountaineer
Dee Molenaar was an American mountaineer and author celebrated for pioneering climbs in Alaska and his contributions to outdoor literature.
Dee Molenaar was born in 1918 in Seattle and became a leading figure in American mountaineering. He participated in early expeditions on Mount Rainier and played a key role in the first ascent of the West Buttress of Denali in 1951. Molenaar also authored 'The Challenge of the North: Denali 1913–1953,' a definitive account of early climbs on North America’s highest peak. A talented painter, he created watercolor landscapes that captured the spirit of the mountains. As an active member and later leader of the Mazamas climbing club, he mentored aspiring climbers for decades. Molenaar continued to climb and inspire others well into his eighties, leaving a lasting legacy when he passed away in 2020 at the age of 101.
Dee Molenaar