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PASSAGES
Passages celebrates the lives and climbs of climbers who have passed on. We welcome words and photos, and memories from friends, but cannot pay for these stories. Please write to Luke.Laeser at gmail.com with any submissions.
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 Alec Waggoner 1985-2008
Alec Waggoner, of Beloit, KS, tragically lost his life on October 26, 2008, after a bicycle accident in Syracuse, NY. Alec perfectly represented the climbing scene in Kansas: he was energetic, optimistic, determined, and yes, a little crazy at times.  Mike Strassman 1959-2007
Baboquivari 1980: My most memorable climb with Mike Strassman was my first time up Baboquivari Peak, southwest of Tucson, Arizona. The plan was to climb the southeast arête under the light of the full moon. No better way to spend a Friday night, we thought.  Andrea Basque 1963-2008
Climbing with Andrea “Andy” Basque was an outstanding experience that always included lots of laughter and close friendship. Unfortunately, the laughter stopped on August 7, 2008, when Andy fell on Dragontail, in the Stuart Range of Washington State.  Paul Andrew McDaniel 1984-2008
Paul Andrew McDaniel, 22, of Memphis Tennessee passed away on September 14th, 2008. He was OCD about climbing. He climbed all around the country and every weekend over the summer. He also liked mountaineering and the frozen waterfalls of Colorado. 10/08/08 - The tiny nation of Slovenia has lost its second great climber in 2008 to a Himalayan accident. (Updated - 10/09/08) A beloved climbing pioneer is being remembered after succumbing to a heart attack while scaling a route at Smoke Bluffs Park Monday (July 28). Tony Cousins died while climbing Sally Five Fingers, a moderate 5.9 climb on the very popular Neat and Cool wall.  Preston Brennan 1961-2008
Preston never explained to me his lifelong passion for climbing, but I believe it has to do with being in the moment while climbing. While in the flow of climbing a steep rock face I don’t think there is time to dwell on regrets and glories of the past, or to become too occupied with the details and fears of the future. 7/17/08 - Karl Unterkircher, one of the leading lights of Himalayan climbing in recent years, has been killed in a crevasse fall while attempting a new route on Nanga Parbat. Paul A. Duval, 71, Formerly of Watertown, MA died Tuesday, June 24, 2008 due to a rock climbing accident in Custer, South Dakota. He lived with his life partner Karen Hargrave in Custer. He was born in Boston, raised in Allston and graduated from Boston Technical H.S. in 1954. 7/07/08 - A climber collapsed and died on the summit of Mt. McKinley on the evening of July 4, 2008.  Kelly Bell (1970-2008)
Kelly was with out a doubt, one of the best female climbers in Arizona during the 1980s. She was especially prolific in Zonerland of the Superstition Mountains, putting up numerous routes in the ground-up style. Tone of a Bell, even by today’s standards, is considered an Arizona classic. She will be missed by everyone who knew her.  Alan Nelson (1959-2007)
King of the Mountain - On December 23, 2007 the climbing community lost one of its most dedicated, prolific, and energetic members. After a hard fought, and stunningly brief, struggle Alan Nelson succumbed to a gastrointestinal cancer with his sister, Katie, the pastor of his church, and the pastor’s wife at his bedside.  Todd Montgomery (1963-2008)
Idaho-based climber, best known for his huge dynos, impossible slabs, brutal mantels, and wicked wit, has moved on. Todd Montgomery died of natural causes on March 26, 2008, in Joshua Tree. He left from a place he loved the most.  Steve Dieckhoff (1952-2008)
That stoic fellow who nicknamed his deadly lymphatic tumor ‘Bubba’ was none other than impassioned artist and renowned Boulder-based climber Steve Dieckhoff. At the exact moment of sunrise on March 15, 2008, he took leave from his relentless fight with cancer. Rumor has it that he might now be hanging tough in the afterlife, knocking back pints of strong stout ale with long-time partner in crime Derek Hersey! CLICK HERE For Info about the Memorial Service for Steve Dieckhoff, Sunday April 6  2008 - Chris Allport
Climber Christopher Allport died in an avalanche in the San Gabriel Mountains near Wrightwood, California on January 25th . A multi-sport athlete, as well as a talented actor and musician, Chris had a life-long love of the mountains, rivers, and coasts of California. 1/11/08 - Sir Edmund Hillary, one of the first two men to climb the world’s highest peak, died January 11 in Auckland, New Zealand, his home city.  2007 - Charles F. Kroger
1/07/08 - "Who is Chuck Kroger?" It's like a climbing trivia question with a thousand right answers. "Didn't he go to Antarctica six times? I heard he did the 3rd ascent of the NA Wall back in the 60's when it was considered the hardest big wall route in the world?" 9/19/07 - Robert Hicks Bates, a pioneer of American climbing in the Yukon and the Himalaya, died on September 13 at age 96. 8/14/07 - Peter Absolon, 47, was killed by rock fall in the Wind River Range on August 11, apparently the victim of a rock thrown from above by a hiker. 7/15/07 - Michael Reardon, 36, the accomplished free soloist based out of Oak Park, California, went missing off the southwestern coast of Ireland around 5 p.m. Friday.  2007 - Boulder Climber Peter Steres Dies at 54
As I read the obituaries posted on the internet, I realized that I only knew a tiny bit of Peter. These stories revealed much more. The world class climber and drinking buddy were acknowledged and honored over and over again. Exploits were remembered fondly and laughed over. Everyone agreed - Peter was a great climber and a great guy and would be sorely missed. 4/30/07 - Seattle climber Lara-Karena Kellogg, 38, was killed in a rappelling accident while descending Mt. Wake in Alaska’s Ruth Gorge last Monday.  2007 - Outdoor Industry Loses Adventure Travel Pioneer
Armchair adventurers and professional mountaineers alike mourn the loss of adventurer Richard McGowan. One of the founders of the adventure travel industry, McGowan died in his home on February 27 after a long battle with leukemia.  2007 - Harold Igoe, 1921-2007
3/26/07 - Born in Charleston, SC, raised in Chicago, IL, he was a service veteran of 25 years and flew B24s throughout Germany and northern Italy during WWII. Shot down “a few times,” and once walking 30 miles back to base, he was responsible for saving at least one fellow serviceman’s life. 2/01/07 - Chris Hunnicutt, a 32-year-old Salt Lake City climber, lost his life on Tuesday, January 30th while climbing Stairway to Heaven (WI5) in Provo Canyon. |
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