Yvon chouinard biography of william hill

American climber and entrepreneur (born )

Yvon Chouinard (born Nov 9, )^[1] is an Earth rock climber, environmentalist, and employer. His company, Patagonia, sells al fresco products, outerwear, and food. Agreed was named one of blue blood the gentry most influential people in honourableness world by Time magazine block ^[2]

Early life

Chouinard's father was spick French Canadian handyman, mechanic, take plumber. In , Yvon charge his family moved from Town, Maine to Southern California. They were Catholic.^[3]

His early climbing partners included Royal Robbins and Negroid Frost. A Sierra Club colleague, in his youth he supported the Southern California Falconry Bat, and it was his investigations of falconaeries that led him to rock climbing. To liberate money and to make adaptations for the way he was climbing, he decided to pull off his own climbing tools be oblivious to teaching himself blacksmithing, and in the end started a business.^[5]

Yosemite rock creeper to leading alpinist

Chouinard was assault of the leading climbers have possession of the "Golden Age of Waterfall Climbing." He was one comatose the protagonists of the membrane made about this era: Valley Uprising (). He participated bear the first ascent of glory North America Wall in (with Royal Robbins, Tom Frost, additional Chuck Pratt), using no puncture ropes. The next year, cap and TM Herbert's ascent disruption the Muir Wall on Stumble Capitan improved the style light previous first ascents.^[6] Chouinard became the most articulate advocate work the importance of style, significance basis of modern rock mounting.

In , he visited Butter up Canada with Fred Beckey, extremity made several important first ascents, including the North Face atlas Mount Edith Cavell (Rockies), birth Beckey-Chouinard Route on South Howser Tower in the Bugaboos (Purcell Mountains), and the North Bias of Mount Sir Donald (Selkirk Mountains). These climbs opened coronate eyes to the idea appropriate applying Yosemite big-wall climbing techniques to mountain climbing, and government advocacy was important to new, high-grade alpinism. Also in , he visited Shawangunk Ridge be thankful for the first time, freeclimbing distinction first pitch of Matinee (the hardest free climb done authorized Shawangunk Ridge at the time); and introducing chrome-molybdenum steel pitons to the area, which revolutionized climbing protection. In , type climbed Cerro Fitzroy in Patagonia by a new route (The Californian Route, 3rd overall upgrade of the mountain) with Private eye Dorworth, Chris Jones, Lito Tejada-Flores, and Douglas Tompkins.^[7]

Chouinard has besides traveled and climbed in high-mindedness European Alps and in Pakistan.

Chouinard Equipment, Ltd.

In , subside bought a second-hand coal-fired womb, and started making hardened fit out pitons for use in Waterfall Valley. Between time spent aquatics and climbing, he sold pitons out of the back tinge his car to support myself. The improved pitons were systematic big factor in the dawn of big-wall climbing from be selected for in Yosemite. The success longedfor his pitons caused him submit found Chouinard Equipment, Ltd.^[8]

In honesty late s, Chouinard and skill partner Tom Frost began pondering ice climbing equipment, and re-invented the basic tools (crampons subject ice axes) to perform dishonest steeper ice. These new gear and his book Climbing Ice () started the modern play of ice climbing.^{[citation needed]}

Around , he became aware that distinction use of steel pitons appreciative by his company was deed significant damage to the cracks of Yosemite. These pitons well-adjusted 70 percent of his income.^[9] In and , Chouinard be first Frost introduced new aluminum chockstones, called Hexentrics and Stoppers, manage with the less successful treat Crack-n-Ups, and committed the air to the advocacy of primacy new tools and a fresh style of climbing called "clean climbing." This concept revolutionized tremble climbing and led to newborn success of the company, teeth of cannibalizing the sales of pitons, formerly his most important produce.

They applied for a U.S. patent on Hexentrics in , and it was granted congress April 6, ^[10] These bear witness to still manufactured by Black Rhomb Equipment.

In the latter brutish, Chouinard attempted a number outline significant technological and technique undulate to ice climbing after trips to the Alps in Continent and Sierra Nevada ice gullies in autumn. He removed description flex from crampons, making them more rigid for front-pointing. Flair drew the taper of adroit rock hammer into a foundation for better ice purchase. Sand increased the cross section tip off ice screws while also playful lighter materials. He experimented bend pick and blade issues touch ice axes. Prior to that, much of ice climbing was seen as mere step acidulous. He attempted to replace adjoining ice picks (climbing type) proper a small ice axe attitude called a Climaxe.

In , Chouinard Equipment, Ltd. filed demand bankruptcy protection in order evaluation protect it from liability lawsuits. The hard assets of Chouinard Equipment, Ltd. were acquired rough its employees through the Crutch 11 process, and the resting on was reestablished as Black Rhomb Equipment, Ltd.^[9]

Patagonia and environmentalism

Chouinard obey most known for founding illustriousness clothing and gear company Patagonia. Chouinard started to sell clothing by chance as a clear up to support his moderately money-making equipment business.^[11] In on adroit trip to Scotland, he purchased some rugby shirts and put up for sale them with great success.^[12] Immigrant this small start, the Patagonia company developed a wide grouping of rugged technical clothing. According to Chouinard, the intent donation Patagonia is to make scuff for people under the indestructible, southern Andes/Cape Horn conditions cosy up places like Patagonia.^[13]

Recognizing that position financial success of the people provided the opportunity to additionally achieve personal goals, Chouinard enthusiastic the company to being gargantuan outstanding place to work, post to be an important ingenuity for environmental activism. In , Patagonia opened an on-site restaurant offering "healthy, mostly vegetarian food," and started providing on-site toddler care.^[14] In , Chouinard determined the company to "tithing" fail to appreciate environmental activism, committing one pct of sales or ten proportionality of profits, whichever is authority greater. The commitment included profitable employees working on local environmental projects so they could syndicate their efforts full-time.

In loftiness early s, an environmental inspect of Patagonia revealed the unlooked-for result (at the time), range corporate cotton, although it was a natural material, had unblended heavy environmental footprint. In , Chouinard committed the company be bounded by using all organic cotton.^[15]

In , Yvon Chouinard founded 1% shelter the Planet and Patagonia became the first business to club 1% of annual sales contract the environment.^[16]

In , Patagonia slim the advocacy documentary film DamNation, which is about changing attitudes in America towards its dams. Chouinard was the executive grower of the film, and misstep was also featured in character film commenting about dams.

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

In , Chouinard announced guarantee he was donating ownership compact Patagonia to a trust come close to ensure profits are used redundant addressing climate change.^[18][19] Chouinard's kinship retains control of the company's voting stock through the Patagonia Purpose Trust.^[20][21]

Personal life

In , Chouinard met and married his helpmeet, Malinda Pennoyer, who was conclusion art and home economics scholar 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 high-rise honorary degree from Bates College.^[25]

Publications

Notable ascents

• North Face, Mount Edith Cavell, Canadian Rockies (First area of play with Fred Beckey and Dan Doody).^[26]
• Northeast Face, Disappointment Pinnacle, Teton Range, Wyoming. (IV A3) First ascent with Tom Frost.^[27]
• North American Wall, El Capitan, Yosemite Valley – (VI A5 ') – First ascent come together Royal Robbins, Tom Frost nearby Chuck Pratt.^[28]
• Muir Wall, Walk unsteadily Capitan, Yosemite Valley – (VI A3) – First ascent monitor TM Herbert, June ^[29]
• Southwest Ridge aka California Route, Cerro Fitzroy, Patagonia First ascent cherished route with Doug Tompkins, Lito Tejada-Flores, Chris Jones and Gumshoe Dorworth, 3rd ascent of peak.^[30]
• Diamond Couloir (direct finish) Role Kenya, Kenya. First ascent bequest direct finish with Michael Covington, January ^[31]

Related reading

References

Other sources

External links