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Roughster
Sport climber
Vacaville, CA
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Feb 26, 2016 - 12:50pm PT
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It's days like today that make me realize we are slowly passing the torch to the next generation whether we like it or not. Steve was an inspiration and overall badass. I always admired his thirst for adventure and new rock, as well as his willingness to share the beta. Before the Internet, there was always Steve to consult related to the current ongoings in SoCal. RIP
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AerialElf
Trad climber
Squamish, BC
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Feb 26, 2016 - 01:00pm PT
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Steve was a friend of mine that I met 11 years ago in LA when I lived there. He taught me how to lead climb and introduced me to the outdoor climbing in socal (before that I was just a SF gym rat). Steve was so full of fun life and fun and I have many good memories of him.
I hadn't seen him in quite a while, but I always kept in touch. Indeed he was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer about 18 months ago and he was very open about it and his treatment (he would ride a stationary bike while doing chemo) and I had thought he had recovered last year. Apparently he had a relapse and kept pretty quiet about it and so I was shocked and devastated when I learned that he passed away yesterday.
So sad. RIP Steve, the world will miss you!
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Feb 26, 2016 - 02:32pm PT
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Another. Condolences.
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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Feb 26, 2016 - 06:08pm PT
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Hey, to Jeff and all his friends and family: Sincere condolences. This has been a tough few days. We all have to go, but that knowledge doesn't seem to make the going any easier.
BAd
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Feb 26, 2016 - 06:26pm PT
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I must have bumped into Steve not long after he moved to SLC. Always looked forward to trading info on remote and off-the-radar crags, the latest in fixed hardware and power drills, travel, food (lamenting the lack of a decent taqueria). His psych was infectious. Always humble.
Ran into him at our local gear store (IME) and was seeking info on cragging in the Malibu area. Went out of his way to draw a detailed map and topo for some spot in the hills that I'd never heard of. Was a great spot and his beta perfect.
Some hilarious content:
http://steveedwardsfitness.com/crossfit/
Talent:
He has a lot of video content online...its kind of poignant to watch some of those...with his clear eyed telling of his condition... He seemed to be getting better, and, why wouldn't he be? He was stainless!
Read this quote today from his Santa Barbara guide...sad for me to think I won't see him around...
Of all the first ascents that I've done, I think that the route I've chosen for my project is one of the best: powerful but devious moves, beautiful and remote setting - and I would very much like to do it. But whether I succeed or not is unimportant. What matters is that I was able to have one last journey. One last route to get me excited enough to train, to watch what I eat, to awake with the moves going through my head... Cervantes says that the journey is better than the end. For me, the journey is the end, because when it's all said and done, we really have no control over our outcome - the point is to try. Steve Edwards, August 17, 1999
A tip of the glass to your journey, Steve.
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Oso Flaco
Gym climber
Atascadero, CA
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Feb 26, 2016 - 10:09pm PT
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Very sad to hear. Very unfortunately, I never got to meet Steve. I really wished I would have. Thanks to all for sharing your memories. Prayers going out to him and his loved ones.
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L
climber
Just Livin' the Dream in Pacific Grove, CA
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Feb 27, 2016 - 08:14pm PT
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Steve was a regular at Williamson when I first started climbing there, and was amazingly helpful and friendly where all things climbing were concerned.
He also always brought his portable bar with him, would set it up in the parking lot and share shots with any takers after a hard day of climbing.
I really liked the guy...and am so sorry to hear of his passing.
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Bob_Banks
climber
Santa Barbara, CA
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Feb 29, 2016 - 11:33am PT
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The elusive "Cosgrove Spot". Scott Cosgrove spotting Steve Edwards in Joshua Tree, probably 1997.
After taking a digger head first into a rock while biking in Southern Utah, 2013.
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shipoopoi
Big Wall climber
oakland
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so sorry to hear this news. i knew steve from back in the day. he was always a great energy with a beaming smile on his face. condolences to his friends and family. steve
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marty(r)
climber
beneath the valley of ultravegans
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Rest in peace, Ryan Water. I can't do a Birthday Challenge without thinking of apple fritters.
Out of curiosity, who was with Steve when he zippered that pitch on the Sheep Ranch?
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Bob_Banks
climber
Santa Barbara, CA
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Marty, he was on the Sheep Ranch with Kevin Thaw.
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BLUEBLOCR
Social climber
joshua tree
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Oh No! Not my Santa Barbara Brother. So bummed to here this..
What's fucing going on in this world -(
My sincere condolences to Steve's Family
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Jim Clipper
climber
from: forests to tree farms
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Wasn't there a story about him allowing climbers to crash at his place. If I remember, a European family on holiday borrowed his car for about a month, without his asking. He seemed pretty mellow about it.
I only ran into him in passing. At a somewhat cliquish college gym, he kept a generous spirit. He may have been the first person to tell me about Jackie Chan too.
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Condolences to family and friends. Peace to all.
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JMC
climber
the land of milk and honey
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Rest in peace Steve, by all accounts it seems like you had a great life.
I am not sure if I ever met Steve, maybe ran into him at Williamson in the late 90s? I sure knew of him though, both through his writings on So Cal rock, and the over-the-top birthday challenge chronicles and motivation. The scale, the audicity of his 40 days' adventure, both solo and with friends.
I think it is in his Santa Barbara guide, his introduction. One of the most bittersweet writings of the change in seasons in his life - leaving Santa Barbara and the (full-time) climbing life. It felt like he was saying that, while life ahead was still going to be an adventure, perhaps the best was behind him. Not at all what you would expect to find in a guidebook, but it was telling of his depth. Thank you for sharing yourself with all of us Steve!
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Gal
Trad climber
going big air to fakie
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I am very sad to hear this. I met Steve a few years back-he had posted on MP about being in AZ and looking for a climbing partner. I did not know him at all, and probably wouldn't have responded to this, except that the awesome Susan Peplow chimed in about being surprised he even needed to look for a partner (in a good humor way) - I have total respect for the Suze, so I corresponded about "lets climb" - little did I know what an amazing & accomplished person I would hang out with that day / I just trusted the Suze reference.
I thought we should climb in Isolation canyon, it was right before the guide book came out, so it was very quiet, not many people there at all. I didn't know anything about all his climbing and fitness activities - and what was great about him is he was such a great climber/but didn't make me feel bad at all that I wasn't at his level - in fact, he loved the area and just had a great day. He also spoke about the benefits of beer & coffee. He was humble and kind, also told me a lot of funny climbing stories and folklore - I knew he was a kindred spirit, naturally. Plus, he liked my dog, Asia, because he had a cattle dog who looked somewhat similar. I was able to keep in touch via Facebook and his dog runners posts. Anyway, this makes me sad, I know what a great person Steve is from that climbing day and sharing some beers... My good wishes for everyone close to Steve in this difficult time, he is a very impressive person. ~Catherine
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sempervirens
climber
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I was very new at climbing when I met Steve in Tuollumne Meadows, sometime between '88 and '91, it was. I was barely confident enough to follow 5.8 so when Steve suggested we go climbing I tried to decline,... telling him, "I've never led anything, I don't know how to place pro, I...". He ignored all that and suggested a route. I forget the route, but we climbed it that day, and did a few more together around Tuollumne and the Valley in the next weeks and months. His fitness was obvious and impressive. But I left Yosemite around '92 and never knew anything about all his exploits that I'm now reading about. I was lucky to know a cool positive guy for a brief time. Thanks Steve! Peace.
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Axis
climber
San Jose, CA
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Mar 23, 2016 - 10:25am PT
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Outside said: "His wife Lisa wrote that he had the blastoid variant of mantle cell lymphoma."
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TM
climber
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Mar 23, 2016 - 10:29am PT
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Hey Jeff Randy, Todd, Levy and friends.
Jeff Thanks for posting this for Steve!
I was in contact with Steve about 6 months ago, he was dealing with his cancer. He was super positive as always, it was hard to tell if he had beat it or not, I was devastated when I heard he had passed. Last photo he posted he was on his bike getting Chemo, with a thumbs up!
He faced cancer directly, just like he lived.
Todd's right, Steve was superman! A great all around guy and good friend.
We had our adventures climbing as well as more recently cycling. I always looked forward to our time together. Steve was an incredible athlete!
But even more so he was an amazing human being! Highly intelligent, witty and always fun and enlightening to be around.
Naturally it's difficult to describe a person or to sum up your relationship with them, words always seem inadequate.
Steve was on an ongoing quest for self knowledge. He was a student of life and was fond of this quote, below, which is on his website. His site and has a lifetime of Steve's fitness inquiry and experiences and is well worth your time.
http://steveedwardsfitness.com/
"People say that we're searching for the meaning of life. I don't think that's it at all. I think that what we're seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances within our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive." - Joseph Campbell"
I am sure this quote resonated with Steve because he clearly did experience a very well lived life. Perhaps it's cliche but I am a better person because Steve was here and I'm sure he had that effect on many, many others.
Thanks for your friendship, I'll miss you.
Godspeed Steve...
Troy Mayr
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