Nanda Devi’s Dual Legacy and Spokane’s Delayed Dream | Spokane News

In 1976, two Spokane climbers, John Roskelley and Dr. James States, stunned the world by summiting Nanda Devi — India’s second-highest peak via an untouched route. Though their wife initially doubted their success due to avalanche delays, they’d made it. But the climb’s legacy is shadowed by tragedy: Willi Unsoeld’s daughter, also named Nanda Devi, died on the ascent. Roskelley later chronicled the expedition as “The Tragic Expedition,” and went on to become a climbing legend and Spokane County commissioner — proof that one event can hold both triumph and sorrow. Meanwhile, in 1926, Spokane nearly lost its civic auditorium when commissioners slashed funding — only one commissioner, Leonard Funk, stood firm, warning the city it might never get one. He was right: it took another 30 years before Spokane finally got its auditorium. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Sources:https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/sep/14/this-day-in-history-copy-copy/ More coverage & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/bc4ab59ac28ea554 Report issues to [email protected].