Richard Bass

Richard Daniel Bass (December 21, 1929 – July 26, 2015) was an American businessman, rancher and mountaineer. He was the owner of Snowbird Ski Resort in Utah and the first man to climb the "Seven Summits", the tallest mountain on each continent.

In 1985, he became the oldest person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, aged 55. He climbed with David Breashears and Nepalese sherpa Ang Phurba, surpassing the record by five years set in April of that year by Englishman Chris Bonington. Bass's record stood until 1993 when it was broken by 60-year-old Ramon Blanco. His father, Harry W. Bass, Sr., was a co-founder of the Goliad Corporation and the Goliad Oil and Gas Corporation. He had a brother, Harry W. Bass, Jr.

Career Bass returned to Texas in 1953 to join in the running of the family oil and gas business and ranching operations. He was the owner of ranches in Central Texas. He served on the Board of Directors of Vail Associates, Inc. from 1966 to 1971.

The pair successfully completed all but Everest, being rebuffed there in a first attempt. On his third attempt, Bass was guided by David Breashears to the summit of Everest on April 30, 1985, achieving the Seven Summit feat. At the time, he was also the oldest person to have climbed Everest. Wells chose to forego further attempts at Everest and died in 1994.

Personal life Bass was married three times,