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Seamstress
Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 12, 2017 - 10:53pm PT
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I am trying to get some information about an accident March 5 in Arches. My friend, John Peterson, died in a climbing accident. I know that he was with his wife and some students from the college where he taught computer science. John was key to securing Mother's Buttress.
I hate to intrude on the family at this time. But if anyone has information, there are a collection of old friends that would really like to know.
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thebravecowboy
climber
The Good Places
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Mar 12, 2017 - 10:59pm PT
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I owed that fellow at least a round or two of cold snacks. so sorry to head of this.
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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Mar 13, 2017 - 06:11am PT
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Oh, no. This man seemed liked an incredible individual. Condolences to friends and family. He fell somehow on Royal Arches?
BAd
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Mar 13, 2017 - 06:15am PT
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Arches N.P.?
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crankster
Trad climber
No. Tahoe
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Mar 13, 2017 - 06:37am PT
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Sorry to hear about your friend...try the e-mail address here:
John Peterson Memorial:
The memorial service for John Peterson will be held this Saturday, March 11th at 2pm in the Western State Colorado University Center Ballroom.
There will be a tribute site, email grhaynes@western.edu for information about how to share your JP stories and photos.
JP wasn't big on flowers, religion, or lots of sentimental stuff. In lieu of flowers, please consider one of these organizations to donate to:
JP was very active with the Access Fund. Memorial to the Access Fund would be deeply appreciated:
https://www.accessfund.org/ |
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Mar 13, 2017 - 07:32am PT
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Rumor has an accident at Looking Glass, south of Moab.
I didn't know John, but, a gob of friends did. One of the "wreck climbing" crew.
Condolences to friends and family.
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Seamstress
Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 13, 2017 - 09:19am PT
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Still no word on what he was doing at the time of the accident. Big heart. Infectiously enthusiastic.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Mar 13, 2017 - 01:44pm PT
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hey there say, seamstree... :( very sad to hear this, as to the loss
of your dear friend...
oh my... hoping that all this help
here, will get more info for you, that you...
prayers for the family and loved ones that must
now go on, without him, :(
thank you to folks for the links,
so we could learn about all he did for others...
and for climbers...
edit: i just got to read the link--
it was nice to learn this about him--as his life
over-reached to so many folks-- folks he'd never
know, that would benefit, due to his actions:
He was a big supporter of the Access Fund, which helps to keep access open to areas for hiking, skiing, boating, and rock climbing,
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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Mar 13, 2017 - 02:20pm PT
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I am sorry for your loss, Seamstress, and off my condolences to his friends and family.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Mar 13, 2017 - 02:40pm PT
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Wow, bummer.
I remember interacting with John on Connecticut climbing;
probably in the rec.climbing days.
I knew he was at Yale, but didn't know at the time that
the word haskell in his domain name was the language Haskell.
Must be very tough for his wife and kids.
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SC seagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab, A sailboat, or some time zone
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Mar 13, 2017 - 04:20pm PT
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Looking Glass? Arches?
I've been out in Moab since the first of the month and haven't heard about any accidents.
Doesn't mean it didn't happen here but I haven't come across anything.
If I hear anything I'll post up.
Susan
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Ken M
Mountain climber
Los Angeles, Ca
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Mar 13, 2017 - 08:59pm PT
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I'm sad that I did not have the opportunity to meet such a fine person.
Condolences to all.
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EricCPeterson
Trad climber
Scottsdale
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Mar 21, 2017 - 05:01pm PT
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According to my mother he got entangled in the rope while rappelling and was strangled. No gear failures, just made the poor decision to rap on a tangled rope, screwed up while trying to fix it, and got it around his neck.
He had six students with him, but they weren't in position to try and lift him up or cut him down in time, and had to be rescued themselves by the Moab mountain rescue team.
Can't really give more detail since I wasn't there myself, just what I've heard.
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WBraun
climber
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Mar 21, 2017 - 05:04pm PT
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Holy Cow !!!!!
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Mar 21, 2017 - 05:30pm PT
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hey there say, ...
:(
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Mad69Dog
Ice climber
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Mar 21, 2017 - 05:40pm PT
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So sorry to hear this. I met John through rec.climbing and spent a little time with him talking about dreams, routes and dream routes. Rest in peace. Condolences to his friends and family.
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Mar 21, 2017 - 05:47pm PT
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Oh no not a freak thing . . . A rappelling thing. . , ?
This is so far from what one would think!
OH no' not this man, he was so . . . . All of us . . . .
what we all want to be - all the time. . . He Was' !
So frantic a story what went wrong ?! On a twisted tangled rope ? Strangled?
All of us have lost a mentor a steward and supporter of our drive to climb.
For all his family & friends, , there are N0 W0RDs. . . .
Blessings and thoughts of love and peace.
. . . . . . . .
this is just gutting, so amazingly sad. . . I thought for sure a fall but apparently
JP strangled while trying to attend to a tangled line?!
He was primarily a genius
His Yale days here in Ct are legend. . .
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!! ??
http://www.western.edu/academics/undergraduate/computer-science/memoriam-professor-john-peterson
Amazing the number and levels of strata that JP touched deeply
I can't stand the in-escape able inconsistency of this loss.
as are so many of us, John was in charge, "in his element" more than
doing what he loved he needed to share the energy the intangible with people
The wonder and sparkle in others eyes as they came into JPs gaze,
fed each ,
making a life long, beyond the rope, bond.
of this loss. . . . ?
Pulling up a long heavy rap line is the choice of older climbers.
When I was young I might have rap'd to above a rope tangle
and tied off. Clipped in, hung,
Then added (2-4+ )slings / aid'rs ( prussic/klimhiest -y ? - stand in 2 of those).
Then, pull up the rope to clear the tangled line.
I learned at a very young age the limits of wrapping a rope around my limbs, or body
but I'm so much smaller than JP.
I'm sure his head was three moves ahead of the immediate problem that seemed tame, and common place.
It is a great loss
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Mar 21, 2017 - 05:58pm PT
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That's...strange. Having a pretty hard time understanding that one...
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Mar 21, 2017 - 06:02pm PT
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What a strange accident. There was an incident several years ago on the Obelisk where a young woman got tangled in the rope during a lead fall with similar results. Too flukey.
So sorry. Sounds like a remarkable man.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Mar 21, 2017 - 06:49pm PT
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Eric,
Thanks for sharing the details.
Rappelling accidents happen a lot and to experienced climbers,
partly because rappels often happen at the end of a day when our energy
and attention are not as high as we'd like.
Here's just one example:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/2040046/Surviving-Sedona-January-8th-is-my-new-second-birthday
I'm sorry this happened to your dad.
My wife's brother died in a climbing accident at age 25.
It's something the family never really gets over.
So you just try to remember all the positives and move along with your own lives.
Some days will be harder than others.
Sincerely,
Clint
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Nick Danger
Ice climber
Arvada, CO
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Mar 22, 2017 - 06:48am PT
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What a remarkable human being, and a sad loss for us all but especially for his family. My thoughts go out to them. Rest in Peace, JP.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Mar 22, 2017 - 07:13am PT
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Sorry to hear this.
That's a long, hundred plus foot, free rap. It would be hard to get unwrapped or cut loose there if things went bad.
Condolences to al!
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fear
Ice climber
hartford, ct
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Mar 22, 2017 - 09:44am PT
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Eric, thanks for posting up and sorry for your loss.
Your Dad was one of a kind and will be missed by so many.
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acrophobe
Trad climber
CT, Gunks
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Mar 22, 2017 - 10:13am PT
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Eric,
Had many good climbing days with your Dad, including a great one on Epinephrine. He led his pitches so quickly (he did most of the leading). We had plenty of time to get off before dark. Then, when fog enveloped us, we headed down the wrong ridge, and spent 45 minutes backtracking to the top. Now we were headed down in the fog and the dark. Our headlamps had pretty limited range, but we got down OK from there.
Then there were those days seeking ever more obscure Gunks lines. John launching upwards while I've barely got my pack off my back.
A lot of fun times.
I will miss him.
Jim
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Mar 22, 2017 - 12:17pm PT
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Sad.....
I offer my sincere condolences to John's Family and Many Friends.
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George Bell
Trad climber
Colorado
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Mar 22, 2017 - 01:06pm PT
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John was an incredible guy and I still can't believe he is gone. I met him via email in 1994 because we were both trying to climb the Titan. He has a great trip report on all his attempts on the Titan, which ended in success after a 20 year journey.
Around 2005 I have great memories of climbing with John in Eldorado. We were happy to enjoy easy moderates that we had both done many times, like Rewritten, Reggae, Werk Supp, the Bulge, Gambit. After my kids got old enough we enjoyed many days doing easy Flatiron climbs with him. He had so much energy, even after he moved to Gunnison I think he climbed more in the Flatirons than I did!
The last climb we did together was Fractured Fairy Tales in the South Platte in 2015. It was a classic JP trip, 8 people converging from different locations. I got a flat tire and was an hour late. But all went well thanks to John's leadership, he was always keeping track of everyone. I will miss him terribly.
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George Bell
Trad climber
Colorado
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Mar 22, 2017 - 01:20pm PT
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Seamstress
Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 22, 2017 - 03:45pm PT
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Eric,
I am so sorry for your loss. I was just talking with Jeff Sargeant and Jeff Greendfield. Again, I was searching for any news and found my thread updated. Your Dad is much loved by his friends, and we always appreciated the way he brought people together, making our lives more fun. I have been dreading asking Marti since I heard that she was there. Just know that our affections for your Dad, Marti, you and Jay endure. Be like your Dad and anytime you are in the neighborhood, don't be shy about calling. We will be there.
We always think that there will be a tomorrow. I always had a whitewater trip with the Petersons on my list, and a visit to the home in Colorado. I am kicking myself for letting too much time slip through my hands.
Love from Washington
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