So it turns out Paul Ryan has a thing for Colorado 14ers. Sounds like more of a peakbagger than a mountaineer, but hey, so am I. As I recall, a previous veep, Al Gore, made a famous attempt at Rainier, getting somewhere around 10,000' before turning around (not sure I ever read an official report why he didnt summit).

Got me thinking, who was the biggest politician who was a climber? And who was the biggest climber who was also a politician? Maybe one of those 19th century French guys. Did Hillary ever run for anything? (last name, not first name)

I don't know if Hillary actually ran for a political office or not but he had a huge impact on politics and policy in India and much of the surrounding area.

You sure Al Gore didn't summit Rainier? I think I read that he said he did....he also invented the Internet (wink).

Steve Pratt wrote:Did Hillary ever run for anything?

Hillary was never much of a runner. Billy ran, but only after other women.

Politicians who climbed mountains? This currently active guy summited Everest. Gary Johnson:

http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/politics/Failure-to-Launch.html

Al Gore did make it up Rainier with a guide but it was in white-out conditions so there was no good views that day. Not sure if he crossed the crater to do the actual highpoint or stopped at the crater rim.

At least one of the Rockefeller grandchildren was quite a passable mountaineer; climbs in Alaska and the Himalaya. Can't recall which one. Don't think it was Michael. But then...he got et

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Rockefeller

ericwillhite wrote:Al Gore did make it up Rainier with a guide but it was in white-out conditions so there was no good views that day ...

You FORGOT the rest of the story ... two days later, Al Gore discovered the light bulb !

Robert McNamara made an attempt to climb the Matterhorn in summer 1964 while he was Secretary of Defense for Lyndon Johnson. He and his son got within 600 feet of the Solvay hut but turned back. 9 years before he successfully made the summit.

desainme wrote:Robert McNamara made an attempt to climb the Matterhorn in summer 1964 while he was Secretary of Defense for Lyndon Johnson. He and his son got within 600 feet of the Solvay hut but turned back. 9 years before he successfully made the summit.

Robert Kennedy climbed a peak in The Yukon I believe, named after his family in honor of JFK. I think he climbed with Jim Whitaker.

John Fremont, the son in law of senator Thomas Hart Benton, organized expeditions into the Rocky mtns hiring cartographer
Charles Preuss and guide Kit Carson ascended Fremont Peak in the Wind Rivers in Aug 1842 with Preuess. He and Preuss discovered lake Tahoe from Red Lake Pk. Fremont helped California join the U.S. and was a Senator from there. He was also a governor and republican candidate for President in 1856 losing to Buchanan.

Hey .... didn't Teddy Roosevelt do a gig with John Muir on a remote peak in southeast Alaska ???

Where are the Alaskan and Pacific NW folks ? I very seldom HEAR from them on these forum pages.

Anyway, Sarah Palin climbed a minor peak just outside of Nome, AK, and she said she could see Russia from across the straits. Hmmm ...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6q35rHjsVo[/youtube]

Marmaduke wrote:Robert Kennedy climbed a peak in The Yukon I believe, named after his family in honor of JFK. I think he climbed with Jim Whitaker.

There was an article in National Geographic about the ascent.

?And who was the biggest climber who was also a politician?

Mark Udall, US senator for Colorado has climbed some serious routes in the Himalaya, including on Kanchenjunga.

He is mentioned in several books on the Himalaya,the AAJ, and is mentioned on the front page of the American Alpine Club website:

http://www.americanalpineclub.org/p/his ... lpine-club

He may be the "biggest" climber that is currently a US politician.