(Photo courtesy of State Archives’ State Governors’ Negative Collection)

You don’t need to be a mountain climber to recognize and appreciate Jim and Lou Whittaker. The twins and Seattle natives are Northwest icons for their climbing achievements spanning more than five decades.

This week marks a special anniversary for Jim Whittaker. It was on May 1, 1963, when Whittaker became the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the world’s tallest peak at 29,028 feet.

The photo above shows Jim Whittaker shaking hands with Gov. Al Rosellini as the governor hands him a “Distinguished Citizen” certificate commemorating his successful summit of Everest. Whittaker scaled the Himalayan peak with his climbing partner on that expedition, Sherpa Nawang Gombu. The photo comes from the State Archives’ State Governors’ Negative Collection, 1949-1975.