Colorado Lost a Young Legend in Mountaineering

[Chicago Transplant]

It would be nice if this thread could stay as a memorial to the wonderful young man and woman we lost, an honor to their legacy and accomplishments, and a place for people to grieve with them, for them, and with their friends and family. Brian, thank you for your thoughtful post, I haven't met you but my girlfriend is friends with you and your wife.

Hayden touched a lot of lives. Unfortunately I never got to meet him, but my girlfriend did, he helped her pick out ski boots once. Her sister did, he would ask her "what have you been climbing", even though her climbing skills were several grades below his. And her sister's boyfriend was very close to him. He climbed with him, and skied with him and Inge. It has been a very difficult few days for all of them, and myself, on many levels. It has made us all have to think and have difficult conversations about life, death, and beyond.

Sharing stories, just gave me a tremendous respect for him and just the type of human he was. To everyone else who was also touched by him, we share in your sorrow and pain. I hope you can find comfort in knowing how many feel your pain, you are not alone in this. We may experience life, death and loss in different ways, but I hope we can find strength in each other to heal though our shared loss and suffering.

[Vimana Aircraft]

So sad, such incredible people to have lost. Condolences to the friends and family.

[speth]

I first heard about Hayden Kennedy (and Jason Kruk) on a Here & Now segment on NPR (link at bottom) regarding the Cerro Torre and the controversy surrounding the Compressor Route. The story and history has the feel of one era (Robbins/Harding) clashing with another (e.g. Lowe...Honnold) among other things. For those who like history...

"Dozens of Bolts Added to Compressor Route"
http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web10s/news ... ssor-bolts

On 16 January 2012 the climbers Hayden Kennedy and Jason Kruk made the first "fair-means" ascent of the south-east ridge of Cerro Torre. On their descent they chopped about 120 bolts from the "Compressor Route"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressor_Route

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web12w/news ... -statement
http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web12w/news ... kruk-flash
https://www.outsideonline.com/1896661/e ... ssor-route

https://www.patagonia.com/blog/2014/12/ ... ly-cordes/

"Veteran Mountaineer On Climbing Cerro Torre" 9:09 (podcast and article)
http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2015/01/ ... rre-cordes

Thanks for the NPR link, love Here and Now.

[Ulla]

“If you’re not taking risks, then you’re not living life. Risk doesn’t have to be this totally dangerous thing, though, at the same time. Risk can be just doing something you didn’t think you could do in your career, going and talking to that girl you didn’t think you could talk to, any of that s**t. If you’re not willing to do that kind of stuff, then what the f**k’s the point?” —Hayden Kennedy, 1990-2017

This video might make you laugh, and cry.
https://vimeo.com/240945690