Altitude Research Center

Dreams, determination and Derring-Do

The Altitude Research Center wants to honor friend, colleague and mentor Dr. Charles S. Houston.
To embody our gratitude for Charlie’s myriad contributions to mountain medicine, altitude research and public health, we set upon an ambitious campaign to create the Charles S. Houston Endowed Chair at the Altitude Research Center.
To date, almost $600,000 of the $2 million needed for the Endowed Chair has been raised.
We kicked off our campaign for the Endowed Chair in May 2006, when Charlie received an Honorary Doctoral Degree from the University of Colorado. On the following day we hosted a memorable gathering to celebrate Charlie’s “Dreams, Determination and Derring-Do”.

More than 75 of Charles S. Houston’s close friends, colleagues and family gathered on the new Fitzsimons campus of the University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center to honor Charlie, the inspiration for the creation of the Altitude Research Center.

The speakers at the event included: William Foege, MD, the honorable Mark Udall, Robert Craig, Phil Powers, Nicholas Clinch, Thomas Hornbein, MD, Drummond Rennie, MD, Bert Groves, MD, Peter Hackett, MD, Robert Maynard, Robin Houston, MD and Robert Roach, PhD.

Present were all five surviving members of the famous 1953 K2 expedition, chronicled in Charlie and Bob Bates’ book: K2, The Savage Mountain. The “brotherhood of the rope” these men shared has tied the members of this fateful expedition closely together for life. Testament to this was their commitment to travel from all over the US and the UK to celebrate and honor Charlie.

1953 K2 team

You can read more about this event on page 2 of ARC's Newsletter "All About Altitude"

Brotherhood of the rope - The biography of Charles Houston

On May 24, 2007, Bernadette McDonal;d's biography of Charles Houston was launched at the American Mountaineering Center, 710 Tenth Street, Golden, Colorado 80401.

The evening featured a reading and presentation by the author, a conversation with Dr. Houston, followed by a reception and book signing.

This event was sponsored by the ARC, the American Alpine Club, the Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum, the Colorado Mountain Club and the Mountaineers Books.

For more about Charles S. Houston, M.D.

At Altitude Research Center, our skilled group of applied and clinical scientists engages in the study of high altitude medicine and physiology in a concerted effort
to promote the health of all people in the high country.>

Bill Moyers, journalist and long-time friend, on Charlie Houston:

There are celebreties and there are heroes. Charlie is an unsung American hero - a pioneer in moutaineering, a pathbreaking physician, a wise and good human being. In researching the heights he has shown us the power of deep convictions, personal courage, and selfless witness to the human values that matter.


	home \| purpose \| research \| clinical resource \| education resource \| community partner