Kayak Bill
| Bill Davidson | |
|---|---|
| Born |
1948[1] Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Died |
2004 (aged 55–56) Goose Islands, British Columbia, Canada |
| Occupation | Rock Climber, Kayaker, artist |
| Known for | Big wall climbing, Kayaking, |
Bill Davidson (1948–2004) was a pioneer in the Canadian rock climbing scene during the 1970s. After an early free ascent of the North America Wall on El Capitan, in 1970, Bill returned to his native Alberta where he introduced extreme aid climbing to the Canadian Rockies.[2] Bill left the climbing scene before 1980, becoming a roaming hermit on the harsh north coast of British Columbia and living off the land from an expedition kayak. Throughout the 1990s, Bill built a number of well stocked campsites along the coast and became known to many as "Kayak" Bill.[3] During this period he also produced a number of watercolor paintings in a distinctive west coast style, a form of outsider art.[4]
"Kayak" Bill Davidson died in December 2003, while camping in the Goose Islands group near Hakai, British Columbia. He made daily journal entries and on December 6 he mentioned experiencing "lower back & stomach pains". His last entry was made the next day on December 7. It is believed that he died on December 8, 2003 [5]
Notable ascents
- 1970 North America Wall of El Capitan, Yosemite, CA, USA.[2]
- 1971 Wakonda Buttress of Yamnuska, Kananaskis, AB, Canada.[2]
- 1971 North Face of Gibraltar Mountain, Kananaskis Country, Alberta, Canada.[2]
- 1972 CMC Wall on Yamnuska, Kananaskis, AB, Canada.[2]
- 1974 Yellow Edge on Yamnuska, Kananaskis, AB, Canada.[2]
References
- ↑ The River Killers By Bruce Burrows
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Mountaineering & Climbing | Alberta Sports History Library". Ashfm.ca. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ↑ "Kayak Bill – A Requiem". October 2005. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ↑ "Kayak Bill Davidson – The Ekness Collection". Theeknesscollection.weebly.com. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ↑