North Face co-founder Douglas Tompkins dies in kayaking accident

Douglas Tompkins, co-founder of the outdoor clothing line The North Face and well-known environmentalist, died yesterday from severe hypothermia sustained during a kayaking trip in Patagonia. He was 72 years old.

According to Outside Online, Tompkins was kayaking with a group of outdoor industry professionals, including Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia and longtime friend of Tompkin, when strong winds with waves up to 10 feet high capsized six of the boaters.

Some sought refuge by swimming to a nearby island, but Tompkins was flown by rescue helicopter to a Chilean hospital, where he eventually succumbed to hypothermia.

Tompkins founded The North Face in 1968, not long after his infamous climb of Cerro Fitzroy in Patagonia, a trip immortalized in the popular adventure documentary 180° South. The experience, shared by Tompkins alongside Yvon Chouinard, inspired the two men to found their respective outdoor gear companies and share a goal of preserving Patagonia’s natural beauty forever.

Since retiring from The North Face in 1989, Tompkins, an avid climber, paddler and mountaineer, worked tirelessly to preserve and protect natural areas around the world, particularly the stunning part of Patagonia he called home.

In 1990, he began purchasing millions of hectares of land in this remote and rugged region of South America, hoping to permanently protect the land by creating twelve national parks.

“Doug was a passionate advocate for the environment,” The North Face said in a statement. “His legacy of environmental stewardship will help ensure there are still open spaces to explore for generations to come.”

Tompkins’ mission will live on with his wife, Kristin Tompkins, a former CEO of Patagonia who founded Conservacion Patagonia, an organization with the express mission of creating national parks in Patagonia while saving and restoring wilderness and wildlife.