Mr. Robbins rose to prominence among rock climbers in the 1950s and 1960s with his participation in first-ascent expeditions of some of Yosemite’s most daunting landmarks. As Mr. Robbins saw it, a climber should leave his cliff unscathed — a tabula rasa for the next climber. In the intervening years, Mr. Robbins developed a form of arthritis that stopped him from aggressive rock climbing. A stepfather, James Chandler, obliged Mr. Robbins to go by Jimmy Chandler, according to the Bee. Mr. Robbins was the subject of a biography, “Royal Robbins: Spirit of the Age,” by Pat Ament.

Source: Washington Post March 16, 2017 22:00 UTC