[citation needed] Washburn was born on June 7, 1910, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to a Boston Brahmin family whose roots trace back to Mayflower passenger Elder William Brewster.
Henry Bradford Washburn Sr., was an avid outdoorsman, and was dean of the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
His younger brother was Sherwood Larned Washburn, nicknamed "Sherry", who was a physical anthropologist and pioneer in the field of primatology.
Washburn was an avid pilot and made his first solo flight in a Fleet biplane at Boeing Field in Seattle in 1934.
He called upon Bob Reeve, a famous Alaskan bush pilot, who later replied by cable to Washburn, "Anywhere you'll ride, I'll fly".
Washburn and Bates continued on foot to make the first ascent of Lucania, and after an epic descent and journey to civilization,[5] they hiked over 150 miles through the wilderness to safety in the small town of Burwash Landing.
[6] As Reeve had been unable to return to the glacier with his aircraft, Washburn and Bates chose to leave behind or dump a 900-pound (410 kg) cache of supplies.