The Robert H. Bates Mountaineering Collection was given by Robert Bates ’29, instructor at the Academy from 1939 to 1976 and a pioneering mountain climber who led early expeditions to K2. Housed in a room on the third floor of the Library that is open to the public, the collection offers more than 500 titles documenting the history of mountaineering in the 19th and 20th centuries.

In addition to works from Mr. Bates’ personal library, the collection features photographs from his expeditions to the Himalayas and Mount McKinley and includes books donated by mountain climber John Wharton in honor of Mr. Bates. On display are the boots and hand-knit wool socks worn by Mr. Bates during the 1938 attempt to summit K2, the original down parka created by Eddie Bauer for the 1953 K2 expedition, and examples of climbing gear from the era. The collection also contains mountaineering periodicals, magazine articles and news clippings documenting Mr. Bates’ career.


image of Mr. Bates on Mount Crillon (photographer unknown)