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Anxious Melancholy
Mountain climber
Between the Depths of Despair & Heights of Folly
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Jul 29, 2013 - 06:19am PT
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Heartfelt sympathy for those close left behind.
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Conner
Mountain climber
Eden, Utah
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Jul 29, 2013 - 07:53am PT
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So very sorry to hear this news. Marty was always smiling and warm. His blogs uplifting and cheerful. He and his beautiful son gone too soon. The mountains bring such joy and revelation, yet sometimes bring tragedy and loss. RIP Marty and Denali. My heartfelt condolences to their friends and family.
In Peace,
Connie Self
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Gunkie
Trad climber
East Coast US
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Jul 29, 2013 - 08:00am PT
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Terribly sad and horrific for the surviving members of their family and friends. But let's put this in context. They chose to climb one of the world's most dangerous mountains that apparently chased experienced climbers off because of hazardous snow conditions; the father and son team chose to continue up with the same knowledge.
Last week, a parent in our school district, in a car, was making a left turn into a shopping center. A motorcyclist was coming the other direction. The light was going yellow. Both drivers chose to get through the light.
The motorcyclist is now dead and the parent is physically unscathed but emotionally destroyed. If the motorcyclist was driving a car, there would have been no injuries, very little emotional outlay, and the insurance companies would be fighting over a 50/50 accident.
We all have to live with our choices.
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10b4me
Ice climber
Wishes-He-Was-In-Arizona
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Jul 29, 2013 - 10:51am PT
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Condolences to the friends, and family.
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Jul 29, 2013 - 12:25pm PT
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Big loss here in Santa Cruz as both were well known and loved. My daughter Kali was especially close to Denali. Marty and son Denali were a powerful team but K2 is such a devious mountain.
RIP Marty and Denali.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Jul 29, 2013 - 12:42pm PT
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I am unable to load the link, but it sounds like another sad story from the Karakorum.
You won't see tourist conga lines on that mountain, K2 is serious business always.
Condolences to friends and family.
EDIT
For Pete's comment below
I believe Annapurna has the highest fatality/summiteer ratio of 8,000m peaks.
K2 is second.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Jul 29, 2013 - 01:06pm PT
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Dang, so sorry to hear of this. Is K2 the world's most dangerous mountain? It might be, it has certainly claimed many lives, too many lives.
It's not hard to imagine why they chose to remain in Camp 3 - you invest so much time and energy and money getting there, it's hard to abandon your upward progress. But the guys who bailed are still alive.
Reading of a lad named Denali dying on a mountain immediately reminded me of the death of Nanda Devi Unsoeld, ironically on the very mountain Willi named her for! And from a pre-existing abdominal ailment complicated by altitude, of all things.
R.I.P., boys. Hope you get a chance to rope up again somewhere up in the clouds with the Big Guy.
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jfailing
Trad climber
PDX, North Slope, The Open Road
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Jul 29, 2013 - 03:17pm PT
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Shit!! Horrible news! I met both Denali and Marty in T-meadows a few summers ago... They were both so warm and friendly, full of life. Another terrible loss this year.
Condolences to friends and family.
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norm larson
climber
wilson, wyoming
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Jul 29, 2013 - 05:14pm PT
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Didn't know them but I wish I had. I've never met a KIWI I didn't like. Very sad. Peace to the friends and family.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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Jul 29, 2013 - 05:26pm PT
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This is a great loss. BTW, I believe Marty grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and relocated to NZ later in life.
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Maysho
climber
Soda Springs, CA
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Jul 29, 2013 - 06:13pm PT
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Very sad to hear this news...Marty was a force of nature who channeled that force into helping hundreds of lucky people fulfill their own climbing dreams. Marty grew up in Castro Valley. I met him in Camp 4 when he was 16 and I had just turned 14. He had stopped in after hiking the Muir Trail solo that summer and we climbed for a few weeks. First time I followed a Valley 5.9 was following him up Sunnyside Bench jamcrack.
I have only been able to stay in very infrequent touch, over the years...I have really admired his success as an 8,000 meter peak and Alpine Guide, especially his obvious passion for sharing the mountain stoke with his lucky clients....he was an incredible man, and will be greatly missed.
I never got to meet his son Denali. Being a dad who also climbs with his kid, I can't even wrap my head around or comment right now on that aspect of this tragedy....
Peace to the many, many people whose lives were enriched by their time with Marty Schmidt.
Peter Mayfield
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Jul 29, 2013 - 06:13pm PT
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Summit or die, either way I win. Rob Slater (perhaps)
K2
Hell of a place.
Perhaps someday we will all meet again and wonder why we ever feared or cried.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Jul 29, 2013 - 06:26pm PT
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Sad, sad news.....alpinisim is seductive and, usually, life affirming but it can exact the ultimate price.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Jul 29, 2013 - 07:15pm PT
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damn damn damn damn damn...
ever exuberant, Marty showed me the trick of standing atop an empty beer can (on one foot), and squatting until you can tap it on each side with your index fingers. Fun ensures...
He smiled as we all tried to repeat the feat.
Now, I just want to smash the f'in beer can on my forehead.
Keep your spirits high Bro, we're still flying with them.
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SCseagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Jul 29, 2013 - 07:19pm PT
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So very sad. I dread telling my son.
Thoughts, condolences to the family and friends left behind.
Susan
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SalNichols
Big Wall climber
Richmond, CA
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Jul 29, 2013 - 07:25pm PT
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We all make our choices.
Godspeed gentlemen.
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Jeff Gorris
climber
Not from, Portlandia
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Jul 29, 2013 - 09:24pm PT
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Marty was super awesome guy.
Prayers and condolences to his family.
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goatboy smellz
climber
Nederland-GulfBreeze
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Jul 29, 2013 - 09:37pm PT
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These deaths never let up, ran into Marty on the road, and will miss his healthy spirit. RIP Denali and Marty.
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