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actionDAD
Social climber
Cambridge, MA
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Feb 25, 2016 - 06:13am PT
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Sad news. My thoughts are with those of you who knew and loved Scott. I wanted to share a little story.
16? 17? 18 years ago my wife (now ex-wife) and I were just getting into climbing. A sweet child and a new business were the focal points of our lives and climbing was allowing us what little recreation we had time for. We were loving the challenges of the sport.
We lived in Maine and wanted a climbing vacation (our first without our son) so we looked west and ended up in Joshua Tree for 5 days of a lead-climbing class/workshop/tutorial with Scott.
We didn't know anything about Joshua Tree, lead-climbing or Scott. To say we got lucky is an understatement. Joshua Tree is wonderful. Lead-climbing is challenging, fun, frustrating and fulfilling. Scott was our perfect guide.
Immediately upon meeting him we dove headlong into our adventure. One of his fellow guides teased him as we walked by telling us the we had the great fortune of being led down the trail by the "Tiger Woods of climbing." We didn't know if that was true (or even what that meant) but 5 days later we left Joshua Tree with heads full of memories, new skills that otherwise could have taken years to discover and a new friend.
Rock-star climber or not Scott was a patient and skilled teacher. He was able to work with us as raw beginners in a way that never felt like anything but organic. He was never condescending or impatient. And the stories he told and the wisdom he shared as he spooned (with a knife) his tuna-fish right out of the can onto crackers have stuck with me as very pleasant memories.
One of the things that Scott told us that I think of and repeat quite a bit is this: we were looking up at a climb the top of which was overhung by a huge piece of rock that had at some point broken off from above. It looked both solid and sketchy at the same time. I wondered aloud if it might come crashing down on us. Scott took a beat or two to look and think about my question. He suggested that the piece of rock in question could have sheared off from its previous home 20,000 years ago which, all things considered, was a short time ago...but...that didn't mean it wouldn't come crashing down today. He said, "Geologic-time includes now."
I've always taken that to mean that sh#t can happen at anytime for a whole number of reasons, some of which we can predict others we can't but that is no good reason to keep yourself from living the life you want to live. I have always appreciated that lesson. It seems especially poignant today. Thank you Scott for that. Safe travels. You will be missed.
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Hoffbrow
Trad climber
California
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Feb 25, 2016 - 06:27am PT
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sorry to hear this. I remember hanging out with Scott in Joshua Tree....
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jeff constine
Trad climber
Ao Namao
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Feb 25, 2016 - 07:38am PT
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His last day climbing with me 2 weeks ago. So sad..R.I.P
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HighDesertDJ
Trad climber
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Feb 25, 2016 - 07:51am PT
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I was just wondering recently how he was doing and wondering when he might make a return to the Taco. I am very saddened to hear this but also glad to hear that he was well enough to be out hiking. My fear was to hear that he had passed away in a rehab center or some such thing. I work in trauma and these patients can often have very ugly lives after their accidents.
In high school, with little access to climbers or climbing culture, I eagerly consumed the stories of his attempts to free big routes on El Cap and the subsequent antics. Scott and I clashed politically on SuperTopo but when I was a young man making the J-Tree to Yosemite circuit over numerous seasons Scott was always friendly and eager to share (brag) about his recent adventures. He would eagerly share having just been up on a first ascent in the Valley with legendary aid climbers and complain about how they would rate strings of bird beak placements "A2." For no good reason he, barely knowing my name, would always recognize my face from previous talks and eagerly engage with me one on one. Scott made me feel like I was part of the climbing community.
I have often found that the old adage "may you never meet your heroes" to be painfully true when it comes to climbing but I was glad to have met Scott Cosgrove. May he rest in peace and may his climbing accomplishments stand as inspiration to future generations of adventurers.
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splitclimber
climber
Sonoma County
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Feb 25, 2016 - 07:57am PT
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Thanks for posting that picture Jeff. Cherish it.
Happy to know he got back on the rock after his injury.
Lots of love going out to his friends and family right now.
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ionlyski
Trad climber
Kalispell, Montana
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Feb 25, 2016 - 09:41am PT
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Very nice post ActionDad and a tribute to Scott from a different view. He would like that I'm sure.
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Feb 25, 2016 - 09:59am PT
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hey,
a short day 'coz" of the storm,
as I walked from the bus stop .....
a juvenile Bald Eagle passed over, slow & low,
we saw the White tail, perfectly
My daughter pointed, and said,
"did He fly to daddy-o"?
OH/....let 'em flow, if ya can...
peace
( in a suburban neighbor-hood, Acre lots, most, much smaller, only once before in deep snow has such a bird flown over)
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Erik Sloan
Big Wall climber
Yosemitebigwall.com
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Feb 25, 2016 - 10:25am PT
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Rest In The Peace of Your Heart Scott!
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ec
climber
ca
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Feb 25, 2016 - 11:21am PT
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I'm shocked...RIP, bro.
 ec
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Feb 25, 2016 - 11:24am PT
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Never met the Coz but his deeds are legend. Condolences to his family and friends.
Cheers Scott.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Feb 25, 2016 - 11:33am PT
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I tagged along with Constine to visit Scott in rehab. At the time he was just starting to walk around a bit on the lawns outside. He didn't say anything about it at first, but once we were chatting he told us with an obvious sense of pride and accomplishment. It seemed he was clearly on the rebound.
This is just hard to believe. So sorry. Another great one gone.
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labrat
Trad climber
Erik O. Auburn, CA
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Feb 25, 2016 - 11:36am PT
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Sorry to hear the news. We had our differences but I had respect for the man. Sincere condolences to Scott's friends and relatives.
RIP
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Roots
Mountain climber
Tustin, CA
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Feb 25, 2016 - 11:36am PT
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Shocked and saddened by this news.
Rest in Peace Scott
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roy
Social climber
NZ -> SB,CA -> Zurich
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Feb 25, 2016 - 11:57am PT
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My condolences to his family and friends. This is very sad news. He was a character on this site and I'm sure he will be sadly missed. Roy
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overwatch
climber
Arizona
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Feb 25, 2016 - 12:28pm PT
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Geologic time includes now...so simply insightful. Thanks for sharing that.
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Seamstress
Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
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Feb 25, 2016 - 12:58pm PT
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I served on the AF Board at the same time as Scott. I got a steal in an AF auction - 5 days of being guided by Scott at JT. I was 40, and he was 33. A quick discussion about safety and climbers dying young, I pointed out that he had already lived longer than Christ, and laughter ensued.
I had been so worried that my pathetic climbing skills would make this a very long week for him. I tried to be so enthusiastic and game for everything. I liked him much more than I expected, found him to be a far more substantial person than many superficial climbers I had known. By midweek, he expressed concern that he was doing his best to provide an excellent experience, and he was climbing everything twice - once to set up and once to take down. He hoped I wouldn't be too disappointed if I left him with more time for lunch, to recharge his batteries. I'll never forget that he took his donation so seriously and did a fabulous job providing an unforgettable experience.
It was so good that I bought his services in the next auction. Sally Moser was a huge Cosgrove fan. She chatted with me about how she envied that I got the package. So Sally got to come on the Classic Crack Tour of the Real Hidden Valley. It was a privilege for me.
When I moved out west, Scott talked me into a drive up to BC and took me climbing for a few days in Squamish. No donations, no fees, I was amazed that someone of his caliber and fame would just offer to show a "friend" around a place he thought was special. He had just freed the Grand Wall. It was funny to see the genius and the regular guy. He was not loving a few wet streaks on the faces (human side), yet floated up Split Pillar effortlessly. My little hands could not jam, and the long layback led to a flying exit that my husband caught on film. I was so frustrated at the unexpected struggle to get up that, yet he was empathetic and created a fun plan B which turned around my day.
Loved him.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Feb 25, 2016 - 01:15pm PT
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Never had the pleasure to personally meet Scott, but around here I've heard and seen all about him. All good things. Seemed like a cool cat to me.
This is unusually sad for me, and I'm not sure why exactly. I just feel like there's something missing now. He just struck me as a good guy.
Rest in peace Scott, God bless!
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James
climber
My twin brother's laundry room
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Feb 25, 2016 - 01:24pm PT
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I met Scott a few years ago at Santanas in Joshua Tree. We spoke sporadically over the years. After his accident, we talked about recovering from accidents. I talked a bit about my fall in Joshua Tree.
"James, you're my hero right now. Someone should do a story about you to inspire the fallen. I hope to come back to climbing.” His words meant a lot to me.
Cosgrove was a true climbing legend.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Feb 25, 2016 - 02:02pm PT
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I just had a flashback to the times when winding down at Gunsmoke at sunset would wrap up a great day. It was not uncommon to have Scott, JB and Paul Borne all there. Things would get competitive, and respectable numbers of laps were done. Paul would remind us that if you got pumped out and fell off the “lava-gators” would make their meal of you. Of course I was usually the first one eaten.
Good times. Now all three are gone way too soon.
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Feb 25, 2016 - 02:27pm PT
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surprised and saddened to hear the news. rip.
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