Rescue underway on Snowmass Mountain

Colorado peak questions, condition requests and other info.
Forum rules
  • This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
  • Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
  • Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
  • Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
    For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
BearCrawl
Posts: 59
Joined: 6/23/2010
14ers: 15 
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Rescue underway on Snowmass Mountain

Post by BearCrawl »

As my son and I begin our treks and climbs throughout Colorado among other places, I'm constantly humbled by what I read here.

Just as Sean was in his element in the mountains, I cannot think of any place I'd rather be than with my wife, 3 daughters or my son. With them, I feel no less in my element as Sean was on one of his adventures. Regardless of how one dies, it is how they live that they should be measured. We all have our own 'best place'. Wherever that may be, I hope to spend as much time there as possible with what time I'm allowed here. It sounds as though Sean did just that....

I was at a funeral today of a close family friend who had, as of late, gone through some very difficult times. He was an officer at Columbine when the massacre happened. His son was thought to be inside. I cannot fathom the fear that he must've faced, but as an officer on the scene, he was on duty to serve as best he could. Despite his difficult fall in life in recent years, his life is impossible to be measured, nor should it be by anyone here on earth. The priest reminded us all that in our friend's difficult times, that he should not be judged nor measured. 'Who reserves the right to measure another?' was the point and I liked the way he said it. In reading some of the posts, it reminds me to never judge the life of another but to be thankful for whatever they might be able to offer by way of positivity. It seems that with Sean, there was a lot to be positive about.....

I truly believe we are here to celebrate one another and to allow the judgement or measuring of others for a power much greater than ourselves. I'm no authority on climbing 14ers. But I hope that through climbing them and learning from many of you over time, and others like you during our trips, my son and I can live right for now and the future. I hope my son is as ambitious, safe and excited as Sean obviously was as he grows on in the mountains. Perhaps some of his life will live on through others like all of us in the coming days, months and years.

Best wishes to you all!
Pocket Stevo
Posts: 6
Joined: 5/23/2011
14ers: 58 
13ers: 48
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Rescue underway on Snowmass Mountain

Post by Pocket Stevo »

I didn't see a memorial thread started for Sean so I thought I post it here. I was 300 feet away from the summit on Sunday. I saw a climber downclimbing and he asked me if I had a cell phone that worked (Mike). I didn't but after questioning him about the situation I decided to literally run down to call for help. I made it to the town of Crytal and called in the accident about noon. They had already heard and the helicopter was just getting ready to take off. I decided to go back up there today and complete my original plans. When I reached the spot that I was told about Sean, I grabbed a rock from the mountain. I carried this rock to the summit and put it on the summit block. This was my way of showing respect for Sean and the mountain. I thought people might want to know and for anyone who is on snowmass this year please know that this rock is in honor of Sean and take a moment to reflect. Although I never met Sean, this seemed like a good way to share my condolences and remember a fellow mountaineer. Thanks
DSCN0055_014 23.JPG
DSCN0055_014 23.JPG (126.43 KiB) Viewed 5624 times
User avatar
greenwok
Posts: 214
Joined: 6/26/2007
14ers: 21 
Trip Reports (5)
 

Re: Rescue underway on Snowmass Mountain

Post by greenwok »

[sigh] Sean was quite the hiker, and documented with some fantastic photos! I just clicked through his Sneffels album - wow!

http://seanw.smugmug.com/

Sean - you will be missed by this community - thanks for sharing your journeys with us - your spirit will live on in us as we hike with you through those spectacular albums.

[sigh]

KG
The question is not what you look at, but what you see
-Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)
User avatar
14erFred
Posts: 1033
Joined: 7/15/2009
14ers: 51 
13ers: 1
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Rescue underway on Snowmass Mountain

Post by 14erFred »

May Sean's adventurous spirit rest in peace forever, and may his friends and family find comfort and strength during this time of loss.
"Live as on a mountain." -- Marcus Aurelius
alpenglow
Posts: 41
Joined: 7/6/2007
14ers: 17 
13ers: 1
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Rescue underway on Snowmass Mountain

Post by alpenglow »

Our deepest condolences to Sean's family and friends. We sadly loss a friend, only 34, on Mt. Baker in Washington earlier this month. She also was someone who lived life to the fullest.
User avatar
kara
Posts: 134
Joined: 8/5/2009
14ers: 41 
13ers: 5
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Rescue underway on Snowmass Mountain

Post by kara »

Summited Snowmass on Sunday, one week after Sean's accident. He was certainly thought of throughout the climb. Such a sad outcome for a young, enthusiastic climber. Be safe out there, all.
14ers2011 054.jpg
14ers2011 054.jpg (131.61 KiB) Viewed 3751 times
Mountains have a way of dealing with overconfidence. --Hermann Buhl
User avatar
SurfNTurf
Posts: 1890
Joined: 8/20/2009
14ers: 58  28 
13ers: 127 7
Trip Reports (48)
 
Contact:

Re: Rescue underway on Snowmass Mountain

Post by SurfNTurf »

Looks like the summit rock has already blown over. Didn't think it would last very long, but it was a nice sentiment. Maybe someone can put a bigger one up there? And congrats Kara, Snowmass is no easy accomplishment.
“There are two kinds of climbers: those who climb because their heart sings when they’re in the mountains, and all the rest.” - Alex Lowe

"There have been joys too great to describe in words, and there have been griefs upon which I cannot dare to dwell; and with those in mind I say, 'Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste, look well to each step, and from the beginning think what may be the end.'" - Edward Whymper
User avatar
theglobalguy
Posts: 23
Joined: 6/30/2006
14ers: 58 
13ers: 8
Trip Reports (0)
 
Contact:

Re: Rescue underway on Snowmass Mountain

Post by theglobalguy »

The rock was there on Saturday...I noticed it, and wondered what it was for...didn't see this thread until after the summit. After I climbed down off the summit block I know it was still there when we left the area.
Image
Seans_Uncle
Posts: 3
Joined: 7/25/2011
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Rescue underway on Snowmass Mountain

Post by Seans_Uncle »

You are an awesome community and Sean's entire family thanks each of you for your thoughtful and kind comments and prayers. Sean was an incredibly gifted young man with such a bright future. Words cannot express how sad we are right now but your words of support and encouragement are testament to his life and an encougagement to his family. Thank you!

Sean's memorial service will be on Friday, August 12 at 11:00am at St. Joseph Church in Chehalis, Wa. http://wlpcatholic.org/index.cfm?load=page&page=151" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

More details as they become available.
Seans_Uncle
Posts: 3
Joined: 7/25/2011
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Rescue underway on Snowmass Mountain

Post by Seans_Uncle »

For those of you still tracking this forum, Sean's obituary can be found by following this link...www.legacy.com/chronline

May the peace of God with you all,

Sean's Uncle Mike
User avatar
SurfNTurf
Posts: 1890
Joined: 8/20/2009
14ers: 58  28 
13ers: 127 7
Trip Reports (48)
 
Contact:

Re: Rescue underway on Snowmass Mountain

Post by SurfNTurf »

Thank you for sharing that, Mike.
“There are two kinds of climbers: those who climb because their heart sings when they’re in the mountains, and all the rest.” - Alex Lowe

"There have been joys too great to describe in words, and there have been griefs upon which I cannot dare to dwell; and with those in mind I say, 'Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste, look well to each step, and from the beginning think what may be the end.'" - Edward Whymper
User avatar
sgladbach
Posts: 1027
Joined: 10/17/2006
14ers: 58  58 
13ers: 710 37
Trip Reports (29)
 

Re: Rescue underway on Snowmass Mountain

Post by sgladbach »

Seans_Uncle and family:

I'm sorry to hear your premature loss of Sean. My prayers and condolences to your family. I don't know if the rest of the family are hikers or climbers, so I'm not certain whether you understand the love, passion, spirituality, and solace that we climbers experience while doing what we do. Please know, from those of us who live with the same passion Sean has for the mountains, that he passed content with a freshly spirit-filled soul. That's what he was rewarded with each time he climbed a mountain and that's the peace he was experincing when he passed.

steve
Last edited by sgladbach on Thu Aug 11, 2011 10:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"We knocked the bastard off." Hillary, 1953
"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves." Hillary, 2003
Couldn't we all use 50 years of humble growth?
Post Reply