Mizuki Takahashi, climber known for skills, smarts, dies at 36 in fall on Alaska peak

Mizuki Takahashi didn't start climbing mountains until she was in her 30s. But once she did, she quickly became an elite climber, admired for her athleticism, her smarts and her focus.

In seven years, she successfully reached about 50 peaks, almost never the same one twice. When she wasn't working, she was climbing, or training to climb. Her friends joked that she never sat down to eat a single meal at her kitchen table. Mostly, she dined in her car, on the way to a climb or back.

Ms. Takahashi and Brian Massey fell May 17 while climbing Mount McKinley in Alaska. Ms. Takahashi died at the scene. She was 36. Mr. Massey died the next morning.

Ms. Takahashi grew up in Numata City in Japan and moved to the United States in her early 20s to work on a medical study, said Paul Burke, whose family hosted her for several years when she first arrived. She attended Seattle Central Community College, where she trained as a surgery technologist, he said.

Most recently, she worked at Seattle Orthopedic Center. Dr. Herb Clark, one of the clinic's orthopedic surgeons, said Ms. Takahashi was one of the best surgical techs he'd worked with in his 20-year career.

Her main passion in life, however, was mountain climbing.

"She was an elite athlete," Clark said. "She wasn't just out there doing crazy things. She was fit. She was smart, and she knew what she was doing."

Before Ms. Takahashi discovered the sport, she Rollerbladed, bicycled, ran, skied. But once she started climbing mountains, that's all she did.

"It demanded exactly what her personality embodied," said Joe Binder, 27, a friend and climbing partner. "Attention to detail and focus and determination and extreme endurance."

She also loved the views and the experience of making it to the top of a peak, Binder said.

In photo after photo, she "always had this ear-to-ear grin."

Binder met Ms. Takahashi in a climbing gym in Magnolia. They soon realized they shared a love of climbing out-of-the-way peaks that required a mix of skills. Her greatest strength, he said, was as an ice climber and an all-around alpinist.

Binder can't remember Ms. Takahashi ever turning down an invitation to climb. He called her at 11 p.m. on a recent Friday to say he unexpectedly had the next day free. She was ready to go by midnight. He also can't remember one bad time together, even when they were shivering in bivy sacks on the side of a mountain. Ms. Takahashi loved the companionship of good friends as much as the climbing.

She climbed somewhere just about every weekend, and, over the years, went with more than 100 different climbing partners, Binder said.

Ms. Takahashi twice climbed Mount Rainier solo. She successfully climbed Mount McKinley in 2004, although by a different route than she attempted last week.

She was a few inches taller than 5 feet, and didn't weigh more than about 110 pounds. But she always held her own.

"If you talk to any of the male climbers, that was one of the things that was impressive about her," said Anne Meegan, another friend and climbing partner. "She was fast. She was strong. There was no cutting her slack. She didn't need it."

As part of her preparation for the McKinley climb, Meegan said, Ms. Takahashi would hike up and down Mount Si with a 40-pound pack twice in a day.

Friends say Ms. Takahashi was quiet until they got to know her, then opened up. She was also modest about her climbing accomplishments, they said.

And always looking to try something new. For her last birthday, for example, she invited friends to go skydiving.

Ms. Takahashi is survived by her father and mother, Norio and Masako Takahashi, and brother Takehiro Takahashi, all of Japan. A memorial service is scheduled from 7-9 p.m. today at the Mountaineers Clubhouse, 300 Third Ave. W., Seattle.

Linda Shaw: 206-464-2359 or lshaw@seattletimes.com