Steve Gladbach

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14erFred
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Re: Steve Gladbach

Post by 14erFred »

Deepest sympathy to Steve's family and friends at this painful loss. He was a noble spirit, full of grace and beauty, and we were blessed to have him with us. May he rest in peace always, and may his memory be a blessing forever.
"Live as on a mountain." -- Marcus Aurelius
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JimR
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Re: Steve Gladbach

Post by JimR »

A sad, sad day. I only met Steve once, hiking with him for a few hours, but the experience was consistent with what everyone is saying: he was kind, generous, friendly, humble, super-strong & knowledgeable. He will be sorely missed. Heartfelt sympathy to his family & friends. RIP, Steve.
I have more age than experience, more experience than knowledge, and more knowledge than wisdom.
Yet somehow I usually make it back to the car safely; and oftentimes, so do the people that I'm with.
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boudreaux
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Re: Steve Gladbach

Post by boudreaux »

I think the greatest testament to a mountaineer is one who gives up his or her own goal(s) to help someone else achieve theirs without ever asking for anything in return! Steve is a true selfless man, we should all strive to be like him. He freely gave of anything he could to help no matter the situation! I'm sorry I was never able to meet this man with a huge heart! My prayers go out to Steve's family, celebrate his life and accomplishments as a husband, father, mentor and all around caregiver of the highest regard. You will be missed!
Ragin Cajun
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sunny1
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Re: Steve Gladbach

Post by sunny1 »

Alpine wrote:
I only met Steve once, a late November day on Huron Peak, and James (metalmountain) already mentioned my story of how Steve hiked back up from 500-1000 feet down (he had already left the summit) to carry a dog which had wounded pads I think from the rocks and the snow. I am not sure but I don't even think the dog belonged to anybody from his group.

Like I told James, that is the kind of person I want to be too. Thanks for your example Steve.
I met Steve that very same day in November, 2008, on Huron Pk. I was so impressed that he went straight back up the mountain to assist with the dog after he'd descended.
I personally had never seen anyone move at that speed above altitude, either. :shock:
I had met him and his 2 friends, both coworkers of his, on the ascent.
When I first met him, he said I must be a stud. :shock:
I said, nooooooooooo, not at all. :oops:
He said, Oh, studette, then?
Me: Noooooooooo, not at all. :shock:
He then said he didn't see many girls hiking in the winter.
I've thought about that day at times over the years, always makes me smile.
Who wouldn't smile at being called a STUD by a complete stranger :mrgreen:

There will be many Steve stories. He was very generous with his time, assistance, and self.
He will be missed immensely.
The older you get, the better you get, unless you're a banana.
Alpinegoat
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Re: Steve Gladbach

Post by Alpinegoat »

I will remember Steve for his kindness, humility and easy friendliness (and his orange winter cap and Cooper). I was fortunate to be on 2 trips (Sherman & Snowmass) with him and have very fond memories of those times. With a constant supply of jujups, words of encouragement he made it possible for me to stretch beyond what I would have done. In Snowmass he helped a dog descend from the ridge, helped with a rescue / accident and carried the pack of injured person back to the trailhead. He embodies the highest qualitites of a mentor / teacher ( be it in school or in the mountains) and has touched many lives.

My heart goes out to his family and all those who participated in the rescue effort. Kudos to the 14er community for rallying to support Steve's family and the rescuers.
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Ridge runner
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Re: Steve Gladbach

Post by Ridge runner »

I've been fighting back the tears ever since I heard the news today. Steve was so much more than a great mountaineer. He was a friend to me during times when I needed advice outside of climbing. He offered up his cell number, home phone number, and even his parent's phone number for me if I ever needed anything. He got me and my dog out of a scary situation on Snowmass a few years ago, and I was so grateful to have him there. I couldn't thank him enough, and the only way I felt I could repay him was to help him search for Cooper down in the Sangres. You could just tell how much he loved his daughters and how proud he was of them when they joined him in the mountains.
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Steve with Cooper on Snowmass Mountain
Steve with Cooper on Snowmass Mountain
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its_not_a_tuba
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Re: Steve Gladbach

Post by its_not_a_tuba »

My wife and I had the pleasure of meeting Steve and one of his daughters and a friend of hers up at South Colony Lakes prior to climbing the Crestones. We were finishing our hike in when we saw them camping right next to a site we were eyeballing – at first glance we figured he was just some guy camping with his kids, he did not look like your “typical” climber. We actually came close to moving on up the trail from them since past experience has taught me that it can be a really bad idea camping close to people in the wilderness who are not following a “climber’s sleep schedule”. Maybe we were just tired, maybe it was pure luck but we decided to settle in right next to them. I went down a little later and introduced myself and quickly discovered that the guy I was camping next to was definitely not your “typical” climber. We talked quite a while that night, mostly it was me enthusiastically listening to him tell stories. It never occurred to me until today how many of you must have been a part of all those stories. We spent more time together the following night after our climb, he was the most accomplished and the most humble climber I have ever met.

Steve and I emailed each other a few times after meeting in South Colony talking about getting out together. He was of course, always available and always eager to make plans. I was always busy and always thought that we could do it next weekend, next month, or next season.


You will be missed Steve, not just by your family, friends and this community, but possibly by the mountains themselves.
"Wilderness settles peace on the soul because it needs no help. It is beyond human contrivance." -- E.O. Wilson
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coloradokevin
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Re: Steve Gladbach

Post by coloradokevin »

Steve was one of the best, and surely one of the most respected folks around this forum. The one thing that stands out to me about Steve wasn't even the fact that he was a very accomplished climber. Rather, Steve was probably most notable for the fact that he was a skilled, accomplished, and yet still humble individual. He seemed quite willing to help anyone with their climbing, and was always a great go-to guy for mountaineering advice. I regret that I never had the chance to climb with him personally!
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livetothemax96
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Re: Steve Gladbach

Post by livetothemax96 »

So sad to hear. I had the pleasure of bumping into him on two occasions, one of the nicest people I have ever met in the mountains. I had been at work hoping to come home and hear good news...such a terrible loss. He had always been an inspiration to me, and I'm sure many others, ever since I started climbing and was introduced to this forum a couple years ago, he will be missed greatly. Condolences to all of his friends and family.
whats life unless you live it?
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Roald
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Re: Steve Gladbach

Post by Roald »

USAKeller wrote:
sgladbach wrote:Remembering those who have passed will do more to heighten your own awareness of potential dangers than would a critque of their errors. Remember: you've already taken courses, participated with good mentors, and read valuable books. You know what mistakes can be made. You know that you can make zero mistakes and still die. Vigilance is the best defense and bringing along the memory of those lost partners will always heighten vigilance. Sadly, none of us are 100% vigilant.
How poignant, thanks for posting. RIP Steve.
chrismjx wrote:

Roald, in that one sentence you managed to demonstrate that A) you're an idiot and B) you're a hypocrite, and a perfect example of the cause of the modern-day problems in this country.
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gb
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Re: Steve Gladbach

Post by gb »

I never met Steve, though we occasionally sent messages back and forth. He sounded like a really good guy and I'm sad we never got to climb something together. Condolences to all his friends and family.
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Re: Steve Gladbach

Post by d_baker »

Nona, Linda, & Alise....you're in my thoughts constantly these last couple of days and you'll continue to be there.
My best to you and Steve's family.

To Britt & Yikes, you should feel honored to have spent one more peak with Steve. Peace to you both in the coming days and months. There will be many more climbs, with Steve at your side.

Steve, I'm going to miss you, but I'm glad I knew you. Thank you for everything you did, on and off the mountain. I'll always cherish the adventures we had on the peaks we did together!

-Darin
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