Robert John Slater (6 December 1960 – August 13, 1995) was an American mountaineer known for his first ascent of the big wall route Wyoming Sheep Ranch on El Capitan.
An avid outdoor recreationalist, Slater made notable climbs during his college years and later as he worked as a trader on the Chicago Board of Trade and for Goldman Sachs.
[1] He attended high school in Cheyenne, Wyoming and college at the University of Colorado at Boulder, an institution he chose for its proximity to the Flatirons.
[4] Wyoming Sheep Ranch was considered the most difficult and dangerous aid climb on El Capitan for several years, until being downgraded to A4 later.
[9] Slater died in a storm on the descent from K2 along with five other team members, including noted English climber Alison Hargreaves.