David Warren Baker

I first met David when we were both students at the ETH in Zurich, Switzerland in 1961. My wife and I spent much time with him and Evelyn, so that we became the godparents of their son Andy. I remember well hiking trips with David who explained so much to me about the geology of Switzerland. My sincere and deep sympathy go out to the family on David's passing. Bruce Barrett

I got to know Dave Baker in 1958 when four of us from MIT climbed Mt. Katahdin in Maine over Thanksgiving. We had some very scary adventures on the climb. We ended up pulling out a very seriously injured climber on a rescue sled off the mountain the next day, accompanied by Katahdin caterwauling along the way by his Harvard friends. So I offer up one more round of Katahdin caterwauling to mark Dave's demise.
The photo shows the kind of equipment that we should have had on our climb....

I got to know Dave Baker in 1958 when four of us from MIT climbed Mt. Katahdin in Maine over Thanksgiving. We had some very scary adventures on the climb. We ended up pulling out a very seriously injured climber on a rescue sled off the mountain the next day, accompanied by Katahdin caterwauling along the way by his Harvard friends. So I offer up one more round of Katahdin caterwauling to mark Dave's demise.
The photo shows the kind of equipment that we should have had on our climb....

If you want to know the measure of a man get to know his children. I have had the privilege of getting to know his son Andy and know how fine a father he must have been.

He loved to share his knowledge of nature. But more so, he loved to watch a young mind discover & develop. Maybe discover recent bear "signs" on the trail, or discover a special fossil, or start to discover hidden leadership qualities.

Over the past 8 or so years, Doctor Baker accompanied our family, then Pack 26, then Troop 26 on many outings in the Little Belts. It didn't matter if we were just behind the cabin, on a mountain top somewhere, in the fossil fields up Dry Fork, at...

He was an excellent geologist. I did bump heads with him over the classification of building stone, but I respected him and admired his energy and enthusiasm. Lynne Dickman, USFS retired.

David was a friend. When I taught HPE classes at the University of Great Falls he instructed the "hiking and caving" sections of a PE course. We went through Lick Creek Cave many, many times with UGF students. He energized the students with his stories of the cave's formation and the indigenous natural surroundings.

He was a good guy who was not afraid to display human eccentricities! David was extremely knowledgeable in many academic areas. He lived a full and interesting...

Knowing Andy from Alaska I got his father's address when I knew I would be in Montana. I surprised Dr. Baker with a visit to his cabin, and he showed me his amazing collection of stuff. and suggested a place to visit further down the road. I have a great memory of that visit and am really glad I got to meet him.

Dr. Baker was un enthusiatic teacher. We thoroughly enjoyed his field trips through the HighWoods and the Little Belts. He was a very interesting man and clearly loved teaching.