WAUMolenaarDee4578.xmlGuide to the Dee Molenaar Papers approximately 1930-2007Molenaar (Dee) PapersSpecial Collections, University of Washington Libraries©2008 (Last modified: 7/21/2023)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written in English.Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard).University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections4578Molenaar, DeeDee Molenaar papersapproximately 1930-20071.56 cubic feet (4 boxes, 1 CD, and 1 oversize folder)Collection materials are in English.Papers of Mountaineer Dee Molenaar, an artist, mapmaker and author

Born to Dutch immigrant parents, Dee Molenaar (1918-) was born and raised in Los Angeles. His early climbs were in the Sierra Nevadas. As a young man in 1938, Molenaar came to the Pacific Northwest to climb its volcanos. He began guiding tours on Mt. Rainier in 1940.

Molenaar earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology with a minor in Art from the University of Washington in 1950. After graduation he worked as a field assistant to geololgy professor Peter Misch. During Molenaar's career as a geologist, he was employed by Phillips Petroleum Company, Washington Department of Conservation, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Molenaar has also used his education as a geologist to complement his artistic abilities in creating oil and watercolor paintings of mountain and desert landscapes.

Molenaar climbed peaks through the western United States, Canda, Alaska, the Alps, Himalayas, New Zealand, and Antarctica. His expeditions included the Harvard Mountaineering Committee ascent of Mount St. Elias in 1946, which was the second ascent of the mountain and the first American summit of the peak; the 1953 American expedition to K2; Mount McKinley (Denali) in 1960; Mount Kennedy in 1965; and multiple peaks in the Alps in 1973.

The Challenge of Rainier, Molenaar's most widely-known publication, was based in part upon his experience serving as a summit guide (1940-41 and 1947) and National Parks Service Ranger (1950-1952) on Mount Rainier.

Arranged in two accessions: Accession No. 4587-001, Dee Molenaar Correspondence, circa 1930-1995Accession No. 4587-002, Dee Molenaar Papers, circa 1930-2007

Diaries (Fuhrerbuchs), correspondence, maps, photographs, questionnaires, and a manuscript. Includes correspondence and questionnaires relating to Molenaar's research on the history of mountaineering on Mt. Rainier; correspondence relating to the publicaton of Molenaar's book The Challenge of Rainier . Also includes interviews with Ella McBride, Blanche Whittaker (Jim Whittaker's wife) and Pat Whittaker (Jim Whittaker's sister-in-law regarding the news that Jim Whittaker was the first American to summit Mt. Everest.

Open to all users.

Request at UW

Some restrictions exist on copying, quotation or publication. Contact Special Collections for details.

Visual materials that originally accompanied this material were separated into a distinct Visual Materials Collection. For more information, contact Special Collections.

Molenaar, Dee--ArchivesBeckey, Fred W., 1921- --CorrespondenceBauer, Wolf G.--CorrespondenceBonington, Chris--CorrespondenceClinch, Nicholas, 1930- --CorrespondenceDyhrenfurth, Norman G.--CorrespondenceFarquhar, Francis Peloubet, 1887-1974--CorrespondenceHaglund, Ivar, 1905-1985--CorrespondenceHillary, Edmund, 1919-2008--CorrespondenceHouston, Charles S.--CorrespondenceKennedy, Robert F., 1925-1968--CorrespondenceMisch, Peter, 1909-1987--CorrespondenceOdell, N. E. (Noel Ewart), 1890-1987Post, Austin--CorrespondenceSchmoe, F. W. (Floyd Wilfred), 1895-2001--CorrespondenceSchurman, Clark--CorrespondenceUllman, James Ramsey, 1907-1971--CorrespondenceUnsoeld, William Francis, 1926-1979 orrespondenceViesturs, Ed--CorrespondenceWhittaker, Jim, 1929- --CorrespondenceWickwire, Jim, 1940-Mountaineers--Washington (State)--ArchivesCartographers--Washington (State)--ArchivesGeologists--Washington (State)--ArchivesPainters--Washington (State)--ArchivesMountaineeringDiariesMapsPhotographsQuestionnairesCorrespondenceManuscripts for publicationPersonal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)Expeditions and adventures

 

Accession No. 4578-001: Dee Molenaar correspondence, circa 1930-1995 (bulk 1956-1971).21 cubic feet (1 box)

Scope and Content: Correspondence and questionnaires relating to Molenaar's research on the history of mountaineering on Mt. Rainier; correspondence relating to the publicaton of Molenaar's book The Challenge of Rainier, 1966-1995 (bulk 1966-1970).

Digital Content/Other Formats: View selections from this accession in digital format

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Source: Dee Molenaar, 7/30/1996.

Accession No. 4578-002: Dee Molenaar papers, circa 1930-20071.35 cubic feet (3 boxes and 1 CD)

Arrangement: Arranged in five series: Diaries, 1930-2000Correspondence, 1940-1995Photographs, 1954 and circa 1970-1986Writings, Maps and Inventory, circa 1985-2007Interviews, 1963

Scope and Content: Twelve of Molenaaar's climbing diaries ("Fuhrerbuchs"), correspondence, published landform-relief maps, black and white negatives of mountains and expeditions, and unpublished manuscript High and Wide with Sketchpad. Prominent correspondents include: Wolf Bauer, Fred Beckey, Charlie Bell, Chris Bonington, Nicholas Clinch, Norman Dyhrenfurth, Francis Farquhar, Sir Edmund Hillary, Charles Houston, Robert Kennedy, Peter Misch, Noel Odell, Clark Schurman, Austin Post, James Ramsey Ullman, Willi Unsoeld, Ed Viesturs, Jim Whittaker, Jim Wickwire, and many others.

CD includes interviews with Ella McBride, Blanche Whittaker (Jim Whittaker's wife) and Pat Whittaker (Jim Whittaker's sister-in-law regarding the news that Jim Whittaker was the first American to summit Mt. Everest.

Digital Content/Other Formats: View selections from this accession in digital format

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users. CD audio is open to all users onsite in the Special Collections Reading Room. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Restrictions on Use: Some restrictions exist on copying, quotation or publication. Contact Special Collections for details.

Acquisition Info: Source: Dee Molenaar, March and April 2010.

Processing Info: Processed by Deborah Hamilton; processing completed in 2010.

Separated Material: Molenaar's copy of The Challenge of Rainier, containing over 400 signatures from local and international climbers, was removed for separate cataloging.

14578-002Diaries1930-2000

Arrangement: Arranged chronologically.

Fuhrerbuch: Mountaineering and Climbing Record of Dee Molenaar1930-1978Mt. St. Elias1946Geology 200 Field Course (North Cascades) of Dee Molenaar1950K21953Helsinki 1983, The Alps 1973, Austria 1992, Diary of Dee Molenaar of trip with "K"...197319831992Climbing Notes and Other Miscellaneous Observations1979-1992Record of Trip to New Zealand and Antarctica November 21st-December 13th 19801980Record of Visit to Juneau Icefield1985Record of Trip to Kala Patar Mt. Everest Region Nepal via Mountain Travel1990Diary of Alaska Trip1991Fuhrerbuch III1992-2000Trip to Peru and Machu Picchu1998Correspondence1940-1995

Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by correspondent.

Scope and Content: Correspondents include: Allan, StuartAllen, John EliotAyres, HarryBates, RobertBauer, WolfBeach, SharonBeckey, FredBedayn, RaffiBell, CharlieBoehm, JuliusBonington, ChrisBoyer, SteveBjornstad, EricBloch, GerryBrandt, RexBrigham, LeonBrockman, C. FrankBrower, AnneBrower, DavidBrown, BertBrown, DorrisBryne, PeterBryson, Ted and KristelBueler, WilliamBunning, BonnieBurchell, BettyButler, BillCampbell, Arnie and BettyCarlson, Virgil and LeeCarpenter, PhilipCedzo, KarenChamberlain, James E.Chinese Mountaineering AssociationClark, AmandaClinch, Nicholas B. Colson, CharlesCook, GordonCorbet, BarryCraig, Robert W. Crenshaw, JeneCross, TomCunningham, H.B.Cuno, JohnDailey, DianaDalrymple, PaulDasler, JonDay, JohnDeShazo, DonnaDesio, ArditoDiemburger, KurtDodson, RobertDunaway, BilDunne, TomDyhrenfurth, NormanEastwood, HarlandEngerman, JeanneEngles, HaroldEnzenbacker, DebbieEvans, DanielExum, GlennFairchild, WilmaFarquhar, FrancisFarquhar, MargeryFeth, JackFitzsimmons, MattFord, ArtFryxell, Jayx and ReginaGann, Ernest K.Geddes, Jack and PeggyGoforth, NanceyGorton, SladeGrakovich, ValentinGreathouse, Mrs. Walser S. Haack, Wayne P. Haines, AubreyHaglund, IvarHahn, FredHall, Henry S., Jr.Hall, Jim LydiaHall, WilliamHardy, Janet and DouglasHarlin, John, IIIHarman, EvelynHarris, StephenHawkins, Helene and WayneHenderson, KennethHeuston, PaulHicks, FloydHill, MaryHillary, Edmund (Sir)Horner, StephenHouston, CharlesHowkins, HeidiHunt, John (Sir)Jenkins, PeterJohnson, BurtJones, A.G.E.Jurak, JosefKauffman, Andrew J., IIKendall, HenryKennedy, EthelKennedy, Robert F. King, MagdaKingsbury, DwightKoopman, JaneLangmuir, EvelynLawson, ElliotLee, BobLeonard, RichardLind, DaveLloyd, DarvelLoganathan, A. Magnuson, WarrenMahre, DaveMaki, JunichiMayer, LaVonneMcCarthy, JimMcCoy, KeithMcWhirter, Norris D. Merlino, MaxineMiller, MaynardMisch, HannaMisch, NikiMisch, PeterMolenaar, Cornelius “K”Moldenhauer, HansMonteath, ColinMoore, TerrisMorgan, MurrayMorrissey, James D. Moulton, TerryMunday, Phyl lisNagler, KarlNilsson, Erwin “Biff”Odell, NoelOrmes, RobertPartridge, BetsyPartridge, E.E.Patterson, Marijke Patterson, Pat and MaryPauli, JohnPeck, DallasPhillips, Bill and LorrainePost, AustinPyle, RobertRaible, SteveRay, Dixy LeeRoberts, ElliottRoskelley, JohnRowell, GalenRutter, JohnSanford, ScottSceva, PaulScheer, IrenaSchmoe, FloydSchurman, ClarkShipton, EricShorrock, GertrudeSiple, RuthSiri, WilliamSmith, MiltonStandaert, CarolSteffens, BrandonStockton, DavidTerai, KeiThaller, VictorThomas, Lowell Jr. Tobin, DanielTown, Stephen W. Trenker, LuisTsuda, ShujiUllman, James RamseyUllman, Mrs. James RamseyUnsoeld, JoleneUnsoeld, WilliValsing, RuthVan Diver, BradVan Kleeck, Joyce (sp?)Vermeulen, JimViesturs, EdViola, HermanVincent, BronwynWallin, StuWarburton, MikeWarmerdam, C. A. “Dutch”Washburn, BradfordWatanabe, Mas and HisaWatson, AdamWeide, BruceWelk, LawrenceWhitney, TomWhittaker, JamesWickwire, JimWiessner, Fritz H. Wiessner, MurielWilley, Edith MaringWilts, EllenWinn, KarylWitte, JoeWenying, WangWharton, RobertWoodward, Eddy and MelWoodward, E.J.Woodworth, JohnWren, ChrisWroblewski, LechYoung, JackZelley, MibsZimmerman, T. C. Price

2/14578-002Correspondence (A-C)1965-19952/24578-002Correspondence (D-G)1956-19932/34578-002Correspondence (H-K)1963-19912/44578-002Correspondence (L-O)1940-19942/54578-002Correspondence (P-S)1954-19932/64578-002Correspondence (T-V) 1970-19942/74578-002Correspondence (W-Z)1956-19942/84578-002Outgoing Correspondence19772/94578-002Correspondence- Unknown correspondent1957-19912/104578-002Correspondence-Additional Materials Undated2/114578-002Expedition Postcards- Signed19781986Photographs1954circa 1970-19862/124578-002Photographs- Portraits of Dee1986undated2/134578-002Photograph- Dee Molenaar and Sir Edmund Hillary19542/144578-002Photographs- Head Shotscirca 1970s-1980s

Scope and Content: Head shots include: Boyd, DanDunn, GeorgeEdwards, JasonErshler, PhilHouston, Charles S. Gombu, NawangHoey, MartyHoriskey, JoeIsaacs, GaryLynch, JerryNielson, LarryPolitz, AndyRoberts, TracySimonson, EricSmolich, JohnVan Hoy, CraigWhittaker, LouWhittaker, Peter

Writings, Maps, and Inventorycirca 1985-20073/14578-002Inventory-Librarycirca 20073/24578-002Maps-published in original wrapperscirca 1985-2002Oversize folder4578-002Maps1987-19993/34578-002Writings-"High and Wide with Sketch Pad"circa 20073/44578-002Writings-"Miscellaneous Tourism Travels"circa 2005Interviews1963

Scope and Content: Interviews with Ella McBride, Blanche Whittaker (Jim Whittaker's wife) and Pat Whittaker (Jim Whittaker's sister-in-law) regarding the news that Jim Whittaker was the first American to summit Mt. Everest.

CD4084578-002Interview with Ella McBrideApril 19, 1963CD4084578-002Interview with Blanche WhittakerMay 9, 1963

General Notes: Wife of Jim Whittaker

CD4084578-002Interview with Pat WhittakerMay 9, 1963

General Notes: Sister-in-law of Jim Whittaker