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Daphne
Trad climber
Northern California
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 8, 2016 - 09:41pm PT
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I just saw on facebook that Julia has passed. She had just posted from Mt Whitney and Lone Pine on friday. I dont know what happened. She was a brilliant climber, a compassionate nurse, a funny and sweet and kind young woman.
There was a climbing accident on the Evolution Traverse.
Condolences to her family, who raised a beautiful young woman who will be greatly missed.
Condolences to her friends, there are so many grieving her loss right now. Condolences to all her co-workers at SFGH.
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Daphne
Trad climber
Northern California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 8, 2016 - 10:07pm PT
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Very sorry to read this. It's extra sad when our young climbers lose their lives.
Makes me wonder.
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BLUEBLOCR
Social climber
joshua tree
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oh woman,,, where for hast thou gone?
my only sorrow is that i never got to meet you, and for those that loved you and now miss you..
RIP Julia
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SC seagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab, A sailboat, or some time zone
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Damn. Very sad.
Susan
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obiss
Trad climber
Mill Valley, CA
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Sh#t, Every time I saw her she had a huge smile. I am so sorry to hear this.
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big man
Boulder climber
Novato, CA
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Julia really did always have a smile and a fantastic laugh. Already a badass climber when I was a newb, Julia was super cool and hooked me up with a belay staff shirt back in the day at Class5 Climbing Gym. I'd see her around the Bay and at all the climbing destinations. Julia, my thoughts and love go out to you tonight.
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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How very sad. I hate hearing about these accidents.
Prayers for her family and friends.
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HighDesertDJ
Trad climber
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This is very sad. I hope she went quickly and with a friend nearby.
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Dapper Dan
Trad climber
Redwood City
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My thoughts are with her family, may be peace be with you ....
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Crazy to hear. She was super nice and had a great sense of humor. Recently did the 2nd ascent of one of the new routes routes my friend and I did. Must have happened on the same peak I climbed just a few days prior, while on the Full Evolution Crest Traverse (Haeckel). She was on Evolution Traverse...really really really sad to lose such a positive person from the community.
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seano
Mountain climber
none
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I didn't know her, but was on Evo the same day or the day after, and watched the helicopter for a good part of the afternoon. Another reminder that death is never far away up there. RIP.
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Sad....
Condolences to her Family and many Friends.
RIP Julia
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Kristin Nute
Trad climber
San Rafael
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SO very sad to hear this news! Julia was amazing and touched so many people with her smile and energy... from working with her at Class 5 Climbing, to seeing her in the Bay Area she has always been the most positive spirit!
You will be missed Julia!
XO Kristin
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Camel Fathoms
Social climber
East Bay Area
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Unbelievably sad right now. JMac was one of the happiest, most rad, sweet, sincere and genuine people in the communtiy I ever had the pleasure to know. I cannot beleive I will never get to give that girl a hug again........ Geezus. Wtf. Ugh, completely blown away right now...
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Levy
Big Wall climber
Calabasas
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Terrible news. Although I didn't know her, a loss like this affects us all. She sounds like she was a wonderful gal, and she was often outdoors, getting after that stoke we all seek.
My sincerest condolences to her family and friends.
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Flip Flop
climber
Earth Planet, Universe
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Condolences to her family and friends. Sigh.
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pud
climber
Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia
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Sincere condolences to family and friends of this precious soul.
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thebravecowboy
climber
The Good Places
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wasn't it Craig Leubben who said something like: "“I joke that I’ve sacrificed a million dollars from the xxxxx career that I would have had, but I’ve had five million worth of fun. Last year the million would have devalued to 600K, so I’m way ahead.”
Clearly, we lost a really really rich woman on the ET. Saddened to hear of the loss to the tribe with Ms. MacKenzie's death, but inspired and heartened to see these silent crushers living satori, living more in rhythm with the cycles and vibrations of this earth. Goodbye unknown bodhi, and thank you for the model role you lived. May peace be upon those close to you during your life.
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shipoopoi
Big Wall climber
oakland
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so sorry tht this happened...it seems like everybody is pretty crushed down at berkeley ironworks, where she used to work front desk. i had just met julia a couple of times but was impressed with her good humour. all my condolences to her family and friends, especially her brother , ross, who i set routes at touchstone with for years steve schneider
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Brock Wagstaff
Trad climber
Larkspur
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Not sure what I can even say. I remember Julia as a kid just starting to climb at Class 5. Such an amazing person, and so hard to believe this has really happened. Thinking of the entire MacKenzie family, and particularly Ross who seemed to take his sister under his wing as they grew up climbing together.
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BanDecho
climber
Oakland
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Julia, you will missed so much. I'm so happy to have had the pleasure of watching you grow up and become the inedible person you were and the bad as climber you are. The world is not the same today, I will never be the same.
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labrat
Trad climber
Erik O. Auburn, CA
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Sep 10, 2016 - 12:18am PT
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Condolences to her family and friends. :-((
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Michael Snyder
Trad climber
Lagunitas, Ca.
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Sep 10, 2016 - 09:26am PT
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I remember you climbing at Class 5 with Ross and watching you go from a good climber to a great climber. I will miss your smile and happiness...
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splitclimber
climber
Sonoma County
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Sep 10, 2016 - 01:19pm PT
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a sad heart for Julia. my condolences to her family and friends and especially her brother.
some beautiful captures of her life in action in that CCM edition.
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mmelvin
Trad climber
san francisco
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Sep 10, 2016 - 07:06pm PT
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Debra and I knew Julia and Ross from when they were kids, climbing at Class 5. There’s something magical that the MacKenzies did as a family — I’ve never met someone so cheerful, friendly, wanting to give a big hug. Any of you who knew her, even cursorily, will identify with this — she always had an ear to ear smile with a laugh that went along with it, a chuckle like she had a joke so funny to tell that she was having a hard time telling it. She had a kind of happiness halo. Thank you, to the Mackenzie family, for bringing us someone so dear.
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Sep 11, 2016 - 03:09am PT
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This from Sean O'Rouke's blog. He was gunning it on the Evo.traverse at that time...
Helicopter above Haeckel Col
I heard the all-too-familiar sound of a helicopter just before the col, and paused my music to pay more attention. It approached the col, then made several circles around the Haeckel-Huxley cirque. I made random “I’m okay” gestures when it was near me, but had no idea how I could or should communicate. Taking several trips back to base to refuel, it eventually set up a base camp near Lake 12,021′ and extracted someone from Haeckel’s west face. I saw nothing as I climbed past this section of the ridge, but learned later that it was recovering the body of a woman who had just been doing exactly what I was doing.
http://drdirtbag.com/2016/09/09/evolution-traverse-vi-5-9-or-5-6-17h42/
The Evolution traverse is big and proud, it is a sorrow that such a passage has taken a great women.
Blessings and peace to all and for those who knew 'J-Mack' she will always be with you.
Peace.
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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Sep 11, 2016 - 10:47am PT
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I made random “I’m okay” gestures when it was near me, but had no idea how I could or should communicate.
When river guides in the Grand Canyon spot hikers in odd spots they often pat the top of their head, it means "Are you okay?". A thumbs up is the most obvious response, waving frantically is a bad idea unless you need a rescue. A reply by patting the top of your head with the elbow extended is more visible from a distance. Maybe the duck could comment on the best way to communicate when a SAR team spots you.
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chainsaw
Trad climber
CA
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Sep 11, 2016 - 12:03pm PT
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Dear Ross, this is Rob Trelford writing. I know its been a long time since weve seen each other. And alot of water under the bridge. But I wanted you to know that you are in my thoughts and I pray that you are okay. You have always been kind to me and I owe you the same in return. Contact me at robtrelford@yahoo.com if there is anything you need. No comfort can change what happened. There is no sense to the world we live in. However I believe that she is with Our Lord now, watching over. Noone ever leaves this world altogether when they live on in our hearts. And you have a very big heart. Dont let it break and live well as she would have wanted. God bless you Ross.
Coach Rob
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Daphne
Trad climber
Northern California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 11, 2016 - 11:02pm PT
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Julia's sister Lauren will post more details about the memorial service as it is planned. I will update this thread when I know the exact details, unless someone does it sooner. Thanks, crankster, for posting the memorial contribution site, where the funds will go to climbers, in lieu of flowers.
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seano
Mountain climber
none
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Sep 12, 2016 - 01:51pm PT
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A reply by patting the top of your head with the elbow extended is more visible from a distance. I heard this from someone I know who works with Inyo SAR. Signs I saw in Canada said one hand raised for "okay," both for "help." So I guess there's no universal signal.
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Shu
Trad climber
Bonsall, California
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Sep 12, 2016 - 01:58pm PT
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My wife and I got to meet Julia when she and my son came to stay with us for a week around new years earlier this year. She impressed us as such a sweet, unassuming young woman; it was hard to imagine her as the hard core climber she was. She and my son went on to climb the Triple Direct on El Capitan in a day this spring, which is apparently just one on a long list of her climbing accomplishments. This has hit us quite hard; my wife said she just gets a sick feeling when she sees a rock face now.
To her family: This must be unbelievably difficult for you. My prayers are with you. May God comfort you. As someone said so well above, grief is the price of love.
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aspendougy
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Sep 12, 2016 - 04:15pm PT
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My prayers and condolences to all family and friends. She is obviously one of those sweet, sincere souls that everyone loved.
Forgive me for bringing it up, but it is often instructive to learn the specifics of climbing fatalities. Was she soloing at the time? There is no mention in this thread of a climbing partner, possibly out of respect for the family's desire for some privacy.
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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Sep 12, 2016 - 05:38pm PT
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memorial threads aren't the place for accident debriefing. I know a tiny bit about what happened, but I am not "in the know". I started this thread in a state of shock.
the interest was legitimate and respectful. You started the thread but are not the arbiter of what people post.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Sep 12, 2016 - 05:44pm PT
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hey there say, daphne... oh my, i just saw this...
i had been out of town...
my condolences to her family and loved ones...
:(
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chachi
Boulder climber
San Antonio, TX
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Sep 13, 2016 - 08:08am PT
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I signed up for an account solely to post in this thread, to offer my remembrance of Julia and condolences to Ross, should he see this, and to Julia's friends and family. And maybe to remind myself and others to make the most of our relationships as they can be gone at any time. It's terrible that it takes such an occurrence to think, "I wish i had stayed in contact with them." But i wish i had with Julia, and others.
I worked at Class 5 as full time staff ~2002-2004, a temporary Texas transplant that found climbing late in college. Working 40+ hours a week there and often climbing before and after, I was at C5 a lot. I will never forgot my time there, almost solely due to people like Julia.
I saw Julia at the gym frequently. Smiling for what to me seemed like about 98% of her day. Julia was dependable, friendly, honest, kind, and funny. An ideal kids camp teacher, lesson giver, and helper with just about anything anyone needed. While the boys at C5 weren't always the most reliable and often only concerned with sending the next project, Julia cared about people, fellow workers, friends, and customers alike.
My thoughts of her climbing are of someone not only just becoming aware of their physical capabilities (I remember her being young, HS age, plus or minus), but also of the maturation of her love for climbing. I've since read that she went on to climb some very difficult routes and classics [briefly seeing some recent climbing photos, my wife heard me half whisper, "Julia got f#*$&% awesome!"]. Back then, she was far from strong, somewhat awkwardly making it up 5.10's, but joyously so and with a passion that clearly blossomed and continued to bear fruit over the years.
Right now, closing my eyes, I can see her face, smiling. Honestly, I can picture Ross smiling too. That memory, of Julia (and Ross), is something I will always have and always remember, of people that have made an impact in my life, even so now a couple thousand miles away in Cincinnati.
I haven't crammed on my v10s or dragons that have sadly sat idle, collecting dust, in my climbing bag for too long, since life "got busy" and running became easier (in TX remember). But I'm getting them out this week. For Julia. And for Ross. There's a gym around here someone told me about recently. I'll flail, probably look ridiculous, and get pumped in minutes, but I'll be smiling the whole time, just like I remember Julia doing.
And so, reminded of how Ross turned me onto Reggae, burned into my brain, I hear...
Strange, this feeling I'm feeling
But Jah love we will always believe in
I know you may think my faith is in vain
Til Shiloh we'll chant Rastafari's name
-Chad Childers
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Sep 13, 2016 - 09:17am PT
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My condolences to her friends and family. Very sad news. RIP.
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Jay Wood
Trad climber
Land of God-less fools
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Sep 13, 2016 - 09:59am PT
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Still having difficulty believing that this is real.
I knew Julia as bright light at Class 5, and have continued to
see her occasionally during her college years and more recently
back in the Bay Area. She's about the same age as my daughter.
My prayers for her peaceful passage, and for all those
who are grieving.
Jay
Class 5 last day 2008
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Urizen
Ice climber
Berkeley, CA
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Sep 13, 2016 - 10:14am PT
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By definition, if not everyone agrees, then there is no consensus.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Sep 13, 2016 - 10:52am PT
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Condolences to friends and family on this terrible news.
John
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Daphne
Trad climber
Northern California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 13, 2016 - 01:21pm PT
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Fine, a majority then.
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Daphne
Trad climber
Northern California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 13, 2016 - 02:07pm PT
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cindyt
Trad climber
oakland
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Sep 17, 2016 - 11:30pm PT
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I am so sad. This world is missing a wonderful human being. I first met Julia when she was a child and a talented climber at class five. As an adult she reintroduced herself to me, she had grown into such a lovely person. Though I wasn't a close friend, I enjoyed talking with her and we had casually talked about doing some trad climbing together. I assumed we had all the time in the world to plan an adventure together.
I can't image what her family is going through. My heart goes out to them. She will be sorely missed.
Cindy
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Ryan Dilts
Trad climber
boulder
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Sep 18, 2016 - 02:37pm PT
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It's been 10 days since this accident - though I only just found out about it 4 days ago. My grief has been so crippling since hearing what happened to Julia. I can only imagine how hard this is for Julia's family. Big love to Jean, Rob, Ross, Sean, and Lauren.
I haven't seen Julia since 2009. Before that, we dated for over a year. Our lives have gone in opposite directions since then, and to be honest, I have very few solid links to her world anymore. And though it was years ago, what I'm now finding out is that the heart doesn't ever forget it's deepest connections. Someone posted here that grief is the price for having loved, and that's ringing really true for me right now. Julia was the second person I ever loved.
Thank you to all those who have posted memories, or words of wisdom in these pages, as they've been some of the few things available to me for making sense of any of this. I'm not usually active on these forums, but I'd also like to share a few of my own memories here.
Mostly what I remember is her smile and laughter. She had such a warm and radiant heart, such a free and easy kindness towards everyone she met. When I first saw her she was setting a route at Class 5 and hanging off the wall, happily placing holds. I remember her looking down at me and our eyes catching, and a huge smile cracking on her face (my face did likewise), and I was pretty well hooked from there on out. Later, after we had started dating, she took me on my first big climbing trip - a month in Squamish the summer of '08. Though I had considerably less experience then her at the time, she was always patient, kind, and humble with me as I progressed through my formative days. She taught me a lot about the discipline, and even more about the lifestyle. How to bring the psych, stay positive, and welcome others into your experience. She once told me that a lot of her climbing friends only dated guys who climbed really hard, but that she thought that was all bullsh#t. I was in luck.
I also remember her family. The Mackenzie household was like a base camp at the time. Lot's of friends and neighbors in and out, always welcome for tea, a meal, or a couch to crash on. I remember thinking it was so cool that Jean and Rob and their kids were so welcoming with their space, and I learned a lot about hospitality and kindness from Julia's whole family. It was no surprise that when I was without a place to stay, she made me welcome with her and her family for months on end. That was just they way they were, Julia had said. It was no biggie.
And then there was the time Julia came out to VT to surprise me when I was home visiting my family. My mom recently reminded me that on the way back from a day in Maine (where Julia insisted on going to see a lighthouse) mom had to remind her to keep the speed under ninety. Jules could tear it up in a car or a motorcycle... And though years ago, they all remember her vividly. Sweet, kind, and happy are all words that keep popping up. A dear family friend had been visiting at the time and whispered to me during dinner, "You've dated some real fire in the past, Julia is water." And she was. Calming, peaceful, joyous, and serene...
As I reflect back on all the time we spent together, I'm just so sad for the friend I lost. I was sad before her death, but I just never made more of an effort to reconnect. There'd always be more time, I'd thought, or I'd run into her in the Valley or the Creek one day... But I'm finding out now that life doesn't always give us endless opportunities. Sometimes, they're taken away.
It's really crazy what we all carry around in our hearts, unbeknownst to us so much of the time - and it's heartbreaking that sometimes it takes something like this to find out. Not sure what will come out of all of this grief and pain, but all I can try to do is pay tribute to who she was by being a better version of who I am. Thankfully, in looking to Julia's life, I keep finding the answers: to live better, more kindly, and more adventurously.
Anyways. Jules, there are so many things I wished I would have said to you when you were alive, and these words have been but a few. I hope your journey is bringing you peace, insight, and splitter days. I miss you dearly, but I will remember you well.
Big Love,
Ryan
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cornel
climber
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
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Sep 19, 2016 - 08:46am PT
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Condolences to Julia's family and friends... She did go out doing what she loved.. Can we possibly ask for more?
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| Messages 1 - 48 of total 48 in this topic |
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