Don Lyon, Canadian Alpine Pioneer, Passes Away
Lyon climbed notable routes on Logan and McKinley and was part of the first Canadian expedition to the Himalaya
Don Lyon was born in Vancouver in 1936 and was an ACC life member, he made many important ascents in Canadian mountaineering history. In 1959, he summitted Mount Logan via the East Ridge with Ron Smylie, Philippe Delesalle and Karl Ricker with Hans Gmoser and Willy Pfisterer leading the way. It was the first Canadian team to reach the summit, it was heralded as one of the greatest Canadian climbs ever. In 1961 Lyon, along with Adolf Bauer, Dietrich Haumann, Sev Heibers and Larry Fowler, climbed the first ascent of the Pioneer Ridge on Mt McKinley. In 1964, Lyon was on the first Canadian expedition to the Himalaya for an attempt on Sangemarmur, they climbed within reach of the summit, but conditions forced a retreat.
For a decade Lyon lived around the Canadian Rockies where he worked construction and avalanche control at Rogers Pass. He moved back to the coast where he taught for the Burnaby School District for over two decades. He retired to Nelson, BC.
Source: Pushing the Limits by Chic Scott
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