365 Days of Change: *Where the Mountain Casts its Shadow

 (Photo: Calgary Herald, archives)

365 Days of Change: *Where the Mountain Casts its Shadow 

 (* Title credit: Author Maria Coffey)

DAY 3 - ACKNOWLEDGEMENT (August 23, 2012) 

 

Today, I get to do something I’d rather not do, but the dress clothes have been carefully chosen and ironed to a crisp, respectable level.  I’ll be sharing this experience of acknowledgement and remembrance with dozens of friends who I’ve climbed, scrambled, biked, run trails, and skied with.  Today, another mountaineer is being remembered in a public memorial service for what he gave in this life … a man who was always the first to arrive, and the last to leave.  Another mountaineer has been taken by that mysterious bounty hunting force that knows exactly when our number is drawn - and can be counted on, unfortunately, to collect. 

 

Rick Collier - climber, political figure, activist, environmentalist, husband, father and grandfather, died in a rockfall accident while leading a climbing team on Mount Geikie in BC last week.  In an information statement issued on the Alpine Club of Canada’s member page regarding the accident: "The previous 2 pitches were solid, the current pitch looked solid, 5.4, but a large section of the face let go. Rick landed on his head on a ledge, and died within minutes of the incident. Two other members of the party were injured by rock fall, one was not."

After climbing 1,300+ peaks over a lifetime which put him in the small, distinguished category of seasoned climbers privileged enough to be still climbing at age 71, Rick's departure is another loss in a rope length of losses now building up a cairn of grief and concern for the rest of us.  We are always questioned why we climb.  In turn, we question those who ask us why they drive a vehicle.  Risk.  We choose.  This blog is not intended to address these questions.  My views on some of the reasons why I climb are covered in: Mountains and Misery.  This is about acknowledgement - for Rick, and the list of climbers below (to my knowledge at time of writing) whom we have lost this season alone.  My heart extends condolences to the families of these climbers. 

Ranjit Sidhu, age 31 & Jane Vuong, age 25 (Calgary), Heart Mountain Creek on July 29 (climbing).

Ho-Seok (Michael) Hwang, age 44 (Calgary), Castle Mountain on August 4 (climbing).

Jon Sortome, age 52 (108 Mile Ranch, BC), Mount Rogers on August 8 (mountaineering).

Rick Collier, age 71 (Calgary), Mount Geikie on August 15 (climbing).

Bradley Joyce, age 35 (Calgary/Banff), Mount Robson on August 20 (mountaineering).

"The forces of adventure, risk, uncertainty must coexist for those who choose such paths in a state of irreconcilable tension with the rest of one's world."  - Tom Hornbein

August 24, 2012 additional note:  I had no idea at time of writing this blog entry that Tom Hornbein was one of Rick's mentors in the US when he was young.  How ironic (or perhaps not) that I would choose a quote by Hornbein.  Thanks to Lynn Martel for her article on Rick in Rocky Mountain Outlook this week.