Jeff Hunter of Sunnyvale, California, and son of Alliance native Robert Hunter, Jr., will be giving a presentation at Rodman Library on Saturday, Dec. 28, at 2 p.m., in the auditorium. Earlier this year, Hunter climbed Mount Denali, the tallest mountain in North America, in memory of his father who died in May 2017. Robert Hunter, Jr., was an attorney in Alliance for many years and assistant law director for 16 years. He died from frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), a progressive disease of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain with no cure or treatment to help slow the progression. The Denali climb was an effort to raise money for research into FTD, and through the support of many donors, Hunter raised over $30,000.
A three-week-long endeavor, the Denali climb involved carrying loads in excess of 100 pounds, at altitude, in the harsh Alaskan wilderness. The lowest temperature ever recorded on Denali was -118°F, but in late May and early June, the temperature at the high camp was a milder -20°F. The climb began at a base camp on Kahiltna Glacier followed by a journey across the glacier and its equally massive crevasses. It then proceeded up via a series of camps, with four guides and six climbers – three people linked with rope in case one falls so the other two could pull them up – navigating terrain features like Windy Corner, Motorcycle Hill and the infamous Autobahn.
Hunter will present a slideshow of his climb, share some lessons he learned, and answer questions from the audience. He grew up in Alliance and graduated from Alliance High School and Case Western Reserve University. Hunter is a software developer, entrepreneur and CEO of his own company, AnyList. He presently resides in Silicon Valley. This program is free and open to the public. No registration is needed. For more information, call the Main Library at 330-821-2665, ext. 107.