What It Means When Climbers and Outdoor Enthusiasts Refer to Someone as a ‘Dirtbag’

When you hear the word dirtbag you may think of it as an insult, and in many cases, it is. In the outdoorsy community, however, being called a dirtbag is anything but insulting. Outdoor enthusiasts define a dirtbag as someone who cares more about getting out and climbing (or whatever may be their outdoor activity of choice) than anything else. So much so that they give up many of the niceties of life, pick up in a van or vehicle, and go. 

Imagine that friend who lives in their Astro Van, full of climbing gear, slightly dirty laundry, and a few half-finished bags of granola. Who is always looking at maps to plan their next route and itching to experience incredible outdoor climbing adventures. A dirtbag is someone whose love for climbing or the outdoors supersedes all other things, and they coordinate their lives around their passion rather than fitting into the rat race we often find ourselves in. The term gained its footing and legacy from the notorious climber, Fred Beckey. Not because he coined it, but rather, he defined it. Many in the climbing community would say that the climber, born in 1923, was the first American dirtbag.

Beckey was a legend in the Pacific Northwest, getting his start in climbing at the young age of 15. He was thrust into the spotlight as a formidable mountaineer at just 19 years old when he and his brother Helmy Beckey summited the south face of Mt. Waddington in British Columbia, a climb that had only been completed once before in history, and was at the time considered the most challenging climb in the Pacific Northwest. This would be the beginning of a string of hundreds, maybe even thousands of climbs and first ascents that the mountaineer made all across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Many of the top-ranked destinations and climbs in the U.S. were first ascended and plotted by Beckey himself throughout his nearly 80-year career. 

Those who knew Beckey knew that he had one passion alone: climbing mountains. Most of the time, he lived out of his car (when he had one) and was always on the move, planning new routes and ascents. He was extremely cheap, even saving McDonald’s coffee cups for months at a time so he could get a free refill. He had forgone fame, a career, and family life, all in the pursuit of climbing another peak; he wanted absolutely nothing to tie him down, despite many opportunities. Fred occasionally worked odd jobs here and there in the 1950s to save up enough cash to fund his next leg of what some considered a perpetual road trip. Beckey, a scholar under the surface, would go on to author 13 books about mountaineering and his favorite routes, and would live off the small royalties from these for the rest of his long, prolific life. A true dirtbag to the end, Beckey was still climbing until his death on October 30, 2017, at age 94.