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#176447 - 04/15/13 01:04 AM And then sometimes it happens to someone you know
midnightsun03 Offline
member

Registered: 08/06/03
Posts: 2936
Loc: Alaska
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
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#176448 - 04/15/13 01:32 AM Re: And then sometimes it happens to someone you know [Re: midnightsun03]
TomD Offline
Moderator

Registered: 10/30/03
Posts: 4963
Loc: Marina del Rey,CA
Sorry to hear that, Andi. Sounds like they never found him.
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#176449 - 04/15/13 01:58 AM Re: And then sometimes it happens to someone you know [Re: TomD]
midnightsun03 Offline
member

Registered: 08/06/03
Posts: 2936
Loc: Alaska
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
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#176450 - 04/15/13 02:16 AM Re: And then sometimes it happens to someone you know [Re: midnightsun03]
midnightsun03 Offline
member

Registered: 08/06/03
Posts: 2936
Loc: Alaska
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
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#176474 - 04/15/13 12:54 PM Re: And then sometimes it happens to someone you know [Re: midnightsun03]
Rick_D Offline
member

Registered: 01/06/02
Posts: 2939
Loc: NorCal
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,
_________________________
--Rick

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#176527 - 04/16/13 04:36 PM Re: And then sometimes it happens to someone you know [Re: midnightsun03]
billstephenson Offline
Moderator

Registered: 02/07/07
Posts: 3917
Loc: Ozark Mountains in SW Missouri
Sorry to hear that. Just reading about that one is tough.
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#176589 - 04/19/13 12:46 AM Re: And then sometimes it happens to someone you know [Re: midnightsun03]
Jimshaw Offline
member

Registered: 10/22/03
Posts: 3983
Loc: Bend, Oregon
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
_________________________
These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.

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#176594 - 04/19/13 02:03 AM Re: And then sometimes it happens to someone you know [Re: Jimshaw]
midnightsun03 Offline
member

Registered: 08/06/03
Posts: 2936
Loc: Alaska
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
_________________________
YMMV. Viewer discretion is advised.

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