And then sometimes it happens to someone you know

Posted by: midnightsun03

And then sometimes it happens to someone you know - 04/15/13 01:04 AM

Stumbled on this randomly today... Rob was a friend from a lifetime ago, but I'd lost touch with him in the last few years. Still in shock. This happened almost 2 years ago but somehow I missed it.

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2015331305_climber16m.html

MNS
Posted by: TomD

Re: And then sometimes it happens to someone you know - 04/15/13 01:32 AM

Sorry to hear that, Andi. Sounds like they never found him.
Posted by: midnightsun03

Re: And then sometimes it happens to someone you know - 04/15/13 01:58 AM

There was a follow-up article recently on accidents on Rainier that implied he was found but couldn't be retrieved, but I couldn't find any more detail. Even though being in the mountains was his life's dream, I still find it upsetting that he's still out there.

MNS
Posted by: midnightsun03

Re: And then sometimes it happens to someone you know - 04/15/13 02:16 AM

Here's the article, apparently he was found at the base of Willis Wall...

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/02/19/2032650/technology-adds-to-margin-of-safety.html

MNS
Posted by: Rick_D

Re: And then sometimes it happens to someone you know - 04/15/13 12:54 PM

Very sorry to hear about your friend. "Doing what he loved" only slightly diminishes the pain of losing someone from your life, forever.

Have known three climbers killed in falls and one backcountry skier killed in an avalanche, which both pains and humbles me WRT heading into the wilderness. The standard "You're more at danger on the drive to the trail" doesn't instruct us beyond a limited risk comparison. You can do everything right and the mountain still plays by its own set of rules. (I note that Washington had two avalanche deaths just last weekend.)

Best,
Posted by: billstephenson

Re: And then sometimes it happens to someone you know - 04/16/13 04:36 PM

Sorry to hear that. Just reading about that one is tough.
Posted by: Jimshaw

Re: And then sometimes it happens to someone you know - 04/19/13 12:46 AM

midnight
You've spent a former life time with climbers and you were part of the culture and you know that he would prefer to have died climbing. Hope he didn't leave a family behind...

Still its a shock and a loss and I feel for you.
Jim
Posted by: midnightsun03

Re: And then sometimes it happens to someone you know - 04/19/13 02:03 AM

Thanks, Jim... he left a wife and extended family, but no children of his own.

I don't want to die doing an activity, no matter how much I love it, I want to die with the people I love knowing I'm at peace. So not knowing how he felt about it I struggle with this. At least his body was found so they know where he is anyway. The consolation I do have is being pretty sure he would have wanted to be scattered in the mountains, so he is at least resting where he would have wanted, more or less. From the sounds of it, he may not have even fully realized what was happening to him before it was all over.

MNS