In memory of Steve McKinney...

In Greek myth, Psyche (which literally translates to mean “soul”) is represented in the form of a butterfly. Befittingly, Psyche is forever linked with love as she and Eros (the Greek god of love, also known in Roman myth as Cupid) shared an endlessly passionate bond together – both hopelessly in love with the other

Everest Grand Circle: A Climbing and Skiing Adventure Through Nepal and Tibet
In the winter of 1981-82, Edward “Ned” Gillette, Jan Reynolds, Steve McKinney, and Cucol Calonica made a ski circumnavigation of the Everest Massif. They began with the first winter ascent of Pumon—a sub-peak of Everest—then proceeded to live for four months at altitude. Their ski-trek necessitated scaling five passes over 20,000’, as well as contending with scarce food and occasional dwelling in caves. An autographed account of their journey, authored by Gillette and Reynolds and published by the Mountaineers in 1985, is in the Himalayan Library’s collection and is available for check out from the AAC Library. The obvious difficulties of the circumnavigation—still discussed in many Ski and Alpine Clubs across the world—have prevented anyone from repeating the men’s feat.

Like many of the books in the John M. Boyle Himalayan Library, there is something tucked inside. In this case it is a clipping from a 1986 San Francisco Chronicle that discusses Reynolds’ hot-air balloon ride past Everest. One-time holder of a high-altitude skiing record, she talks about dangling her feet over the edge of the basket taking photographs.

Sadly, in 1998, the book’s co-author Ned Gillete—AAC member since 1979, a member of the 1968 Olympic Cross Country Ski Team, Dartmouth College graduate, and frequent contributor to National Geographic—was murdered in his tent during a botched robbery attempt. Gillete and his wife were in Pakistan’s Haramosh Valley.

Among Gillette’s numerous accomplishments were the 300-mile ski circumnavigation of Everest, a ski descent of Muztagh Ata in Tibet, a ski traverse of Ellesmere Island, and a 600-mile rowboat trip across the Drake Passage, from Tierra Del Fuego to Antarctica in a self-designed and personally built craft.

... in a self-designed and personally built craft.

I watched him almost rip Burtons arm off in an arm wrestling match, and he did the same with John Riggins of the Washington Redskins

October 17, 1986
EVEREST JUMP. American daredevil Steve McKinney reports that he jumped from Mount Everest and made it halfway around the mountain on a hang glider. He made a perfect landing at the 19,000-foot level, he said in a telegram from Lhasa. McKinney did not say at what altitude he jumped. He said poor weather halted the attempts of two other members of the ''Everest 86-Americans to China'' expedition that he heads. Larry Tombs, another member, said before leaving for Mount Everest that the hang glider fliers hoped to ski down Everest's upper slopes to launch themselves into air currents that would take them to the 29,000-foot summit.

October 14, 1998
KATMANDU, Nepal - A U.S. adventurer said Tuesday that he had seen two animals he thought were Yeti during a high-altitude skiing expedition on China's side of Mount Everest. Craig Calonica said he saw two creatures, sometimes called abominable snowmen, together, walking erect, around Sept. 17. Calonica, 45, and climber was on his way down to base camp at 17,000 feet from a camp at 21,300 feet when he saw the creatures.

Everest Hang Gliding. We arrived in Base Camp on September 8, but because of confusion with the Chinese and the yak drivers, we didn’t establish Advance Base at 5500 meters until September 16. On the 19th, Camp I was placed at 6000 meters. We began fixing ropes on the west ridge on the 21st, generally following the 1983 Bob Craig route except at the start, where we went on the left side of the crest. On September 24 we put Camp II at 6600 meters just below a prominent rock on the crest. On October 3 we began hauling hang gliders. It took over a week to get a glider to Camp III on the crest of the west shoulder at 7170 meters. On October 5 leader Steve McKinney made a trial flight from 6200 meters down to Camp I, using pre-takeoff oxygen and skis. The pilots were in position on October 11, but high winds prevented attempts from the shoulder. On October 16 we dismantled Camp III and pulled the glider down. Other members included climbers Kim Carpenter, Heidi Benson, Pete Athens, Catherine Freer, Craig Colonica and me and pilots Bob Carter and Larry Tudor.
ANDREW POLITZ