{{Short description|American mountaineer (1956–2016)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}{{Infobox person | name = Jim Detterline | other_names = "Mr. Longs Peak" | birth_name = James Lee Detterline | birth_date = {{birth date|1956|02|28}} | birth_place = Pottsville, Pennsylvania, US | death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|10||1956|02|28}} | death_place = Boulder County, Colorado, US, near Allenspark | death_cause = Climbing accident | education = {{ubl|Moravian College (BS)|Memphis State University (MS, PhD)}} }} '''James Lee Detterline''' (February 28, 1956 – October 2016) was an American mountaineer, rescuer, and park ranger. He was known for having around 428 ascents of Longs Peak (the most of any person);<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2017 |title=Fatal Ground Fall – Climbing Alone |url=http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201214371/ |journal=Accidents in North American Mountaineering |volume=11 |issue=70 |pages=55}}</ref> a feat for which Tom Hornbein dubbed him "'''Mr. Longs Peak'''".<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 28, 2016 |title=Former Rocky Mountain Park Ranger And Noted Rescuer Dies |url=https://www.cpr.org/2016/10/28/former-rocky-mountain-park-ranger-and-noted-rescuer-dies/ |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=Colorado Public Radio|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
== Personal life == Detterline was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in the state's Coal Region.<ref name=":0">{{Cite interview |last=Detterline |first=Jim |interviewer=Bryon Hoerner |title=Jim Detterline Oral History |url=https://archive.org/details/JimDetterlineOhTranscript |date=November 12, 2013}}</ref> He credited his dad with piquing his interest into the outdoors.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-10-31 |title=Dr. James Lee 'Jim' Detterline |url=https://www.estesparknews.com/local_obituaries/article_ffc38e9c-9f75-11e6-831c-43e5358a1812.html |access-date=2023-06-21 |website=Estes Park News}}</ref> Detterline's parents were Rev. Milton E. Detterline and Nancy Day Detterline.<ref>{{Cite web |title=James Detterline Obituary - Greeley, CO |url=https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/greeley-co/james-detterline-7916182 |access-date=2023-06-21 |website=Dignity Memorial}}</ref> Jim's mother later remarried and changed her last name to Weeber.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Weeber, Nancy (Day) Detterline |url=http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?95,266345 |access-date=2023-06-24 |website= |publisher=The Mercury |via=PA-Roots}}</ref>
When he was eight years old, his parents went on a family vacation to Kentucky, including Natural Bridge State Park. While there, he decided to test for the Kentucky Junior Naturalist Award, and upon receiving it, became the youngest person to have earned the honor.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=James Detterline |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/eptrail/name/james-detterline-obituary?id=11912159 |access-date=2023-06-21 |publisher=Estes Park Trail-Gazette |via=Legacy.com}}</ref>
=== Education === Detterline was a graduate of Boyertown Area Senior High School, and went on to Moravian College, where he earned a B.S. in biology (1978).<ref name=":1">{{Cite aaj |last=Foster |first=Lisa |date=2017 |title=Jim Detterline, 1956 – 2016 |article_id=13201214297 |volume=59 |issue=91|access-date=2025-01-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 13, 2016 |title=Jim Had to Climb |url=https://www.astronomy.org/StarWatch/November/index-11-16.html |access-date=2023-06-24 |website=StarWatch: Moravian College Astronomy}}</ref> He later attended what was then Memphis State University, and received an M.S. in vertebrate zoology (1982) and a Ph.D. in invertebrate zoology (1989).<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite journal |date=Spring 1998 |title=Cliff Hanger |url=https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/speccoll-ua-alumni3/19 |journal=University of Memphis Magazine |volume=17 |issue=1 |pages=6–10}}</ref> He served as president of the Memphis Mountaineers in 1986 and 87,<ref name=aaj_1987>{{Cite aaj |last=Detterline |first=Jim |date=1987 |title=Memphis Mountaineers |article_id=12198736500 |volume=29 |issue=61 |pages=365–366|links=off|access-date=2025-01-14}}</ref><ref name=aaj_1988>{{Cite aaj |last=Detterline |first=Jim |date=1988 |title=Memphis Mountaineers |article_id=12198834400|volume=30 |issue=62 |pages=344–345|links=off|access-date=2025-01-14}}</ref> and later as an expedition leader to Ecuador in 1988 and Argentina in 1989.<ref name=aaj_1989>{{Cite aaj |last=Hall |first=Scott |date=1989 |title=Memphis Mountaineers |article_id=12198933702 |volume=31 |issue=63 |pages=337–338|links=off|access-date=2025-01-14}}</ref><ref name=aaj_1990>{{Cite aaj |last=Hall |first=Scott |date=1990 |title=Memphis Mountaineers, Inc. |article_id=12199036500 |volume=32 |issue=64 |pages=365–366|links=off|access-date=2025-01-14}}</ref>
=== Relationships === For some time while he was at Memphis, he was married to a woman named Jennifer.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stukenborg |first=Phil |date=1984-01-15 |title=Summit meeting |page=D1 |work=The Commercial Appeal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-commercial-appeal-summit-meeting/126872399/ |access-date=2023-06-24}}</ref><!--Now named Jennifer Ertz Mills or Jennifer Mills [https://www.facebook.com/groups/memphismountaineers/posts/2456689287714158/]--> He married his widowed wife, Rebecca, in 2012.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Franz |first=Derek |date=November 30, 2016 |title=Jim Detterline touched many lives as a climbing ranger in Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park |url=http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web16f/newswire-detterline-obit |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=Alpinist.com}}</ref>
== Career == Detterline first began climbing while at Moravian.<ref name=":0" /> He climbed actively until he became discouraged in 1980 following a near-death experience. Detterline and a friend were climbing at Grand Teton, and were trapped by a storm for five days before being rescued by rangers.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Unruh |first=Robert |date=1980-08-31 |title=Area climber saved; trapped 5 days by Grand Teton storms |page=3-A |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |agency=Associated Press |location=Cheyenne |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer-area-climber-s/126872254/ |access-date=2023-06-24}}</ref> Detterline said after the incident: "I'm discouraged from alpine climbing. That's it for a while."<ref>{{Cite news |date=1980-08-30 |title='Too close to death,' say rescued climbers |page=3A |work=York Daily Record |agency=Associated Press |location=Pottstown |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/york-daily-record-too-close-to-death/126873439/ |access-date=2023-06-24}}</ref>
Detterline began his National Park Service career in 1982 at Dinosaur National Monument, though moved to Rocky Mountain National Park in 1984, and was assigned to Longs Peak specifically in 1986.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Proclamation: [Jim Detterline; Longs Peak Ranger Day] |url=https://dms.estes.org/WebLink/0/edoc/166765/PROCLAMATION%20Detterline,%20Jim;%20Longs%20Peak%20Ranger%20Day%202000-10-01.pdf |publisher=Office of the Mayor: Estes Park, Colorado}}</ref> From 1987 to 2009 he served as a park ranger of the Longs Peak area.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Elliott |first=Dan |date=2016-10-29 |title=Fall kills former Rocky Mountain Park ranger, rescuer |page=A4 |work=Albuquerque Journal |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/albuquerque-journal-fall-kills-former-ro/126858119/ |access-date=2023-06-21 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Detterline was awarded the Valor Award from the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1996,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Appendix Four: Valor Award Recipients |url=http://www.omsa.org/files/App%204.pdf |publisher=Orders and Medals Society of America}}</ref> citing his bravery in rescuing two people from a river the previous year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Elliott |first=Dan |date=2016-10-28 |title='Mr. Longs Peak' Found Dead With Climbing Gear On |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/mr-longs-peak-dies-with-climbing-gear-on/ |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=CBS Colorado |place=Allenspark|agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Elliott |first=Dan |date=October 28, 2016 |title=Ex-Rocky Mountain Park ranger, rescuer dies while climbing |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/oct/28/former-rocky-mountain-park-ranger-and-noted-rescue/ |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=The Washington Times|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> He had waded into a river while others were setting up equipment and stopped a couple from flowing over a 75-foot waterfall.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thompson |first=Suzanne |date=January 3, 1997 |title=Rescuing ranger James Detterline wins valor award for courageous rescue in Rocky Mountain State Park |volume=111 |website=Memphis Daily News |issue=2 |url=https://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/ArticleEmail.aspx?id=16334 |access-date=2023-06-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Incident Reports: Rocky Mountain National Park |url=http://npshistory.com/morningreport/incidents/romo.htm |access-date=2023-06-24 |via=NPSHistory.com}}</ref> The couple was in the Roaring River within Rocky Mountain park boundaries and lunged to grab on to Detterline, and he held on to them until they were pulled to safety.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Valor Awards |url=http://npshistory.com/publications/doi/plw/v4n2.pdf |journal=People, Land & Water |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=4–5}}</ref> In total, Detterline had performed over 1,200 rescues during his career.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-11-17 |title=Museum Program: Estes Speaks |url=https://www.estesparknews.com/events/article_aa44295e-0651-11ea-9a00-a35fbc5290f5.html |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=Estes Park News}}</ref>
Detterline's career as a ranger had a stint as Longs Peak supervisory ranger starting in 1987, but he was reassigned in November 1996, an act he felt was discriminatory against his hearing loss, especially when it had been less than a year since he had received the Valor Award.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1997-01-16 |title=Park's hero sees transfer as punishment for speaking out |page=D-6 |work=Redding Record Searchlight |agency=Associated Press |location=Estes Park |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/record-searchlight-parks-hero-sees-tran/126871924/ |access-date=2023-06-22 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Other park employees and the public became concerned that the mountain would become more dangerous without his supervision.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yates |first=Scott C. |date=May 29, 1997 |title=A Rocky Road |url=https://www.westword.com/news/a-rocky-road-5057497 |access-date=2023-06-24 |website=Westword}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Yates |first=Scott C. |date=September 18, 1997 |title=The Height of Insult |url=https://www.westword.com/news/the-height-of-insult-5057833 |access-date=2023-06-24 |website=Westword}}</ref> He was able to remain supervisory ranger until 2008,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-09-23 |title=Famed mountaineers to speak to Loveland Mountain Club |url=https://www.reporterherald.com/ci_28865352/famed-mountaineers-speak-loveland-mountain-club/ |access-date=2023-06-24 |website=Loveland Reporter-Herald}}</ref> though in 2001 he was put on light duty, reducing his options for career progression.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blank |first=Michelle |date=2007-12-10 |title=Jim Detterline to the rescue |url=https://www.hcn.org/issues/360/17398 |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=High Country News}}</ref> He retired in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-11-07 |title=Climbers We Lost in 2016 |url=https://www.rockandice.com/climbing-news/climbers-we-lost-in-2016/ |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=Rock and Ice Magazine}}</ref> Following his retirement, he still worked at multiple jobs, including a wrangler at a lodge, an operator for a scientific contractor, and as an adjunct professor for Front Range Community College's campus in Larimer County.<ref name=":1" /> He was also a volunteer firefighter for the Allenspark Fire Department.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=James Lee Detterline |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/pottsmerc/name/james-detterline-obituary?id=16479562 |access-date=2023-06-24 |website= |publisher=The Mercury |via=Legacy.com}}</ref>
During his lifetime, he held the record for most consecutive months summiting Longs Peak, with a streak of 2 years, 7 months ending in October 2001.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2003-08-10 |title=A peek at Longs Peak |page=G2 |work=Fort Collins Coloradoan |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-collins-coloradoan-a-peek-at-longs/126872043/ |access-date=2023-06-24}}</ref> (The record was later beaten by Lisa Foster, who set a three-year streak in 2022.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 23, 2022 |title=Estes Park Woman Smashes Multiple Longs Peak Records |pages=20–21 |work=Estes Park News |url=https://issuu.com/estesparknews/docs/epn_12-23-22_webfile |via=Issuu}}</ref>) Detterline's record of over 420 summits of Longs Peak at the time of his death beat Shep Husted's record of 350, a record which Detterline broke in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-08-25 |title=Celebrate Jim Detterline's new Longs Peak record |url=https://www.eptrail.com/ci_15880108/ |access-date=2023-06-24 |website=Estes Park Trail-Gazette}}</ref>
Detterline played the trumpet in a band.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-07-16 |title=Jim Detterline awarded surprise Medal of Valor at July 4th concert |url=https://www.eptrail.com/ci_12836388/ |access-date=2023-06-21 |website=Estes Park Trail-Gazette}}</ref> He was also an advocate for the hard of hearing;<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-10-27 |title=Jim Detterline: The passing of a hero |url=https://kdvr.com/news/jim-detterline-the-passing-of-a-hero/ |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=FOX31 Denver}}</ref> for which he received a Focus on People Award from Oticon in 2010;<ref>{{Cite press release |title=2010 Oticon Focus on People Awards Honor Twelve Outstanding People Who Defy Stigma of Hearing Loss |date=October 26, 2010 |orig-date=October 20 |publisher=Oticon |url=https://www.audiologyonline.com/releases/2010-oticon-focus-on-people-2532 |location=Stevenson, WA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-10-21 |title=Oticon Honors 12 Who Defy Stigma of Hearing Loss |url=https://hearingreview.com/hearing-loss/oticon-honors-12-who-defy-stigma-of-hearing-loss |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=The Hearing Review}}</ref> he was the first place winner in the adult category.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=Fall 2010 |title=Detterline Receives 2010 Oticon Award |url=https://issuu.com/moravian/docs/mag10f |magazine=Moravian College Magazine |page=20 |via=Issuu}}</ref> Also as part of his hearing loss advocacy, he often took hard of hearing youth on hikes to the summit of Longs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lynn |first=Alana |date=2016-10-28 |title=Local Climber 'Mr. Longs Peak' has Died |url=https://newcountry991.com/local-climber-mr-longs-peak-has-died/ |access-date=2023-06-24 |website=New Country 99.1}}</ref>
== Death == Detterline was last seen alive on October 23, 2016;<ref name=":2" /> his wife saw him then before she embarked on a trip.<ref name=":1" /> His body was found in the afternoon of October 25, and it is presumed he had died earlier that day.<ref>{{Cite web |editor-last=Wenger |editor-first=Daniel Lee |title=Jim Detterline |url=http://shephusted.net/page2/page5/page5.html |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=Shep Husted}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=James Lee Detterline |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/pottsmerc/name/james-detterline-obituary?id=37451041 |access-date=2023-06-20 |publisher=The Mercury |via=Legacy.com}}</ref> He died from an accidental fall climbing the "Ironclads" formation less than a mile from his Allenspark, Colorado home.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arvesen |first=Amelia |date=2016-11-14 |title=Boulder coroner: Ex-RMNP ranger known as 'Mr. Longs Peak' died from accidental fall |url=https://www.timescall.com/ci_30569559/boulder-coroner-ex-rmnp-ranger-known-mr-longs/ |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=Longmont Times-Call}}</ref> His Border Collie Annie was waiting near him when the body was discovered.<ref name=":3" /> He was 60 years old. The Allenspark Fire Protection District posted a picture of Detterline to their Facebook page following his death.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 27, 2016 |title=[Allenspark Fire Protection District] |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1337278422962991 |access-date=2023-06-24 |publisher=Allenspark Fire Protection District |via=Facebook}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/James-L-Detterline-23527606 Contributions by James L. Detterline] at ResearchGate * [https://www.denverpost.com/tag/jim-detterline/ "Jim Detterline"] tag at ''The Denver Post''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Detterline, Jim}} Category:1956 births Category:2016 deaths Category:Sportspeople from Pottsville, Pennsylvania Category:People from Estes Park, Colorado Category:American mountain climbers Category:Mountaineering deaths in the United States Category:Mountain guides Category:Mountain rescue Category:National Park Service personnel Category:Moravian University alumni Category:University of Memphis alumni Category:Sports deaths in Colorado Category:Sportspeople from Boulder County, Colorado