Ray Genet, often referred to by the nickname Pirate, was an accomplished mountaineer whose many distinctions included having been the first guide on Mount McKinley in Alaska - the highest mountain in North America.
Genet's association with McKinley began in 1967, when, despite having no previous mountaineering experience, he participated in the first successful winter expedition to McKinley's summit, led by Gregg Blomberg. The expedition is described in Minus 148 Degrees: The First Winter Ascent of Mount McKinley by Art Davidson, ISBN 0898866871
Genet died on 2 October 1979 while descending Mount Everest, succumbing to hypothermia in the night along with his fellow climber Hannelore Schmatz.
Genet has one famous granddaughter: actress and singer Q'Orianka Kilcher, and is uncle to singer Jewel Kilcher (commonly known as Jewel) Genet is also the father of Taras Genet and Adrian Genet. Taras was the youngest boy to summit Mt.Mckinley, climbing it at the age of twelve.