Art Higbee

Climbing Legend Art Higbee passed away last weekend in Hawaii, where he was working temporarily. Higbee suffered a heart attack. He was 55 years old.

Art was most widely known for his FFA of the most popular route up Half Dome, the Northwest Face. Art was an extremely humble man, and he will be sorely missed in the Steamboat Springs community as well as the greater climbing community.

Rest in Peace to a great climber.

Sad news. I've always wondered if he was some distant relative. There aren't that many Higbees running around...

As a learning teen climber in Southern California in the late 70's, I took great inspiration from Jim Erickson's and Art Higbee's accomplishment on Half Dome. Condolences to family and friends.

Hey guys, sorry to read about the loss in your community.

My name is Joel Reichenberger. I'm a sports reporter in Steamboat Springs and I'm trying to piece together a story about Art. If there's anyone here that knew him, I'd love to talk to you about the guy and all he was able to accomplish.

You can reach me at my office at 970-871-4253, or on my cell phone at 316-204-4094. Or, feel free to shoot me an e-mail at jreichenberger@steamboatpilot.com.

Thank you very much for your help.

Joel Reichenberger

RIP Art......another of the great ones from The Golden Age.

Rest in peace to another pioneer.

For those interested there will be a memorial here in Steamboat, January 30th from 4-7pm at the community center.

I discovered climbing too late to ever get to share a rope with Mr. Higbee. He frequently hung out in a gear shop where I worked and would share climbing, skiing and other good stories, talk about the state of the world these days and circle spots on my maps..."now there's some real rock climbing up there." He was also a hockey enthusiast, and his son Tim is an accomplished goaltender. The Eldorado Canyon guidebook is littered with Art's name on many classic routes: Metamorphosis, Art's Spar, Neurosis, and he climbed with a focus on real ethics. I always think of the picture in the book Climb! where he is leading out the massive roof of 'the wisdom (12a). He's inspired me to try and become a better climber and I'll be happy to ever be half as good as him.

Rest in Peace Art.

From the Steamboat newspaper:
steamboatpilot.com/news/201…

… I lived with Art for years in the 70’s. Thanks for the post about his passing. - I’m just now beginning to learn about building some websites, and thought I might build one around my memories of him. Got a little carried away, , but thought you might find it interesting. Still fixing some typos, etc. , but you can find it at : rememberingarthigbee.weebly…

The blood line continues..Scarlett Elise Higbee. 

Another goes over the great water fall.

I offer my sincere condolences to Art’s Family and Many Friends.

RIP

A great, unsung climber in an era of great climbers. RIP, Art Higbee, and condolences to his family. But surely he was older than 56? Would have made him 14 when he freed Half Dome ...

J Achey wrote: A great, unsung climber in an era of great climbers. RIP, Art Higbee, and condolences to his family. But surely he was older than 56? Would have made him 14 when he freed Half Dome ...

The original post is from 2010.  That would have put Art at 21 when he nearly freed all the pitches of the RNWF in 1976.

J Achey wrote: A great, unsung climber in an era of great climbers. RIP, Art Higbee, and condolences to his family. But surely he was older than 56? Would have made him 14 when he freed Half Dome ...

The original post is from 2010, so he would be almost 64 if still alive.  

Thanks - missed that this was an old post. I had not known. RIP.