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My son Cole died in a climbing accident in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range in Peru. While my family is devastated by this loss we are trying to focus on what a great person he was and the fact that he died doing what he loved most in a very spectacular part of the world. We don't all get that choice.
Cole was maturing in to a serious and accomplished climber. He was climbing Piramide de Garcilaso. He was hit by an ice fall. Cole was a great person who touched a lot of people. His climbing partner and friend of many years is physically and very emotionally hurt but will be OK.
Many people who post here knew Cole and I know a lot of you share similar passions for the outdoors. Cole was 23 years old and graduated from Colorado College last year in physics. One of his goals was to be a fully certified IFMGA guide. He was working with a few guiding agencies and had taken a few AMGA courses and had the privilege to spend the whole summer after graduation traveling and climbing all over North America.
The thing that has helped me the most is the knowledge that our relationship and the time we spent together was at its peak just before he died. Most 23 olds don’t want to spend all that much time with their father climbing or skiing. For what ever reason Cole and I skied quite a bit this spring all over the state. I have shared some of these trips with you in the Colorado thread. The last time I skied with Cole was on my all time favorite ski descent the Tuning Fork on Torrey's Peak.
We have received an overwhelming show of support from the climbing community Cole's and our family's friends.
Cole's first multi pitch route in Eldorado Canyon
A nice crack in Indian Creek
The Grand Teton's Grand Traverse
Ptarmigan Ridge Mt Rainier.
Cole was maturing in to a serious and accomplished climber. He was climbing Piramide de Garcilaso. He was hit by an ice fall. Cole was a great person who touched a lot of people. His climbing partner and friend of many years is physically and very emotionally hurt but will be OK.
Many people who post here knew Cole and I know a lot of you share similar passions for the outdoors. Cole was 23 years old and graduated from Colorado College last year in physics. One of his goals was to be a fully certified IFMGA guide. He was working with a few guiding agencies and had taken a few AMGA courses and had the privilege to spend the whole summer after graduation traveling and climbing all over North America.
The thing that has helped me the most is the knowledge that our relationship and the time we spent together was at its peak just before he died. Most 23 olds don’t want to spend all that much time with their father climbing or skiing. For what ever reason Cole and I skied quite a bit this spring all over the state. I have shared some of these trips with you in the Colorado thread. The last time I skied with Cole was on my all time favorite ski descent the Tuning Fork on Torrey's Peak.
We have received an overwhelming show of support from the climbing community Cole's and our family's friends.
Cole's first multi pitch route in Eldorado Canyon
A nice crack in Indian Creek
The Grand Teton's Grand Traverse
Ptarmigan Ridge Mt Rainier.
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