This episode features an interview with Rick Reese which was recorded in 2008 by John Worsencroft as part of the American West Center's Everett L. Cooley Oral History Project. Rick was an outdoor enthusiast, Alpenbock Club Member, and environmental conservationist. Rick was involved in conservation efforts throughout the Mountain West, particularly in the Yellowstone area. Please excuse any background noises in this archival audio recording.
Reese graduated from East High School in Salt Lake City, Utah, then joined the army reserve and served active duty in response to the Berlin crisis. He worked for the National Park Service as a climbing ranger at Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park. His first great climbing experience was Mount Rainier, where he was a part of the youngest unguided climb up to that date. He became a part of the Alpine Buck Climbing Club, and was very active in the Wasatch, which has some of the best climbing and backcountry skiing in the world. Reese talks about improvements in technology and rescue technique. His closest friends in life are climbers and he acknowledges that sometimes his family and climbing relations weren't always in balance. Interview is part of the Outdoor Recreation Oral History Project. Interviewer: John Worsencroft.
View Rick Reese's Oral History in the Marriott Digital Library