Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 08:24am PT
|
Only met him once. He was at the top of his game, a dizzying height to be sure.
His sincerity, warmth, and humility were equally impressive - truly the mark of a great person.
|
|
John M
climber
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 08:29am PT
|
Well Shoot.. I only knew Jeff through the forum, but he was one climber that I wanted to meet. A gentlemen on the forum and an inspiration as a climber. It seems weird to say that I will miss him because I hardly knew him, but I will.
|
|
Jim Clipper
climber
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 08:36am PT
|
He shared a little of himself here, and how he faced his challenges. May I be better for it. The company he kept truly know his character and the example that was lost.
|
|
steve s
Trad climber
eldo
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 08:37am PT
|
Keep climbing Jeff ! It was a privilege to have met you in Eldo. Thanks for your many first ascents and contributions to climbing. My condolences to family , friends , and the climbing community.
|
|
SC seagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab, A sailboat, or some time zone
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 08:59am PT
|
A lot of heartache
Susan and Michael
|
|
jimknight
Trad climber
Orem, Utah
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 09:00am PT
|
Jeff was extraordinary on so many levels. He had a huge influence on me, many of my climbing friends, and my sons. My oldest son was named Jeff in honor of him, and now the both of them are gone.
I'm deeply saddened by his passing and that of Tom Frost on the same day. They climbed together so I suppose they unroped and returned together to that last base camp where a warm and hearty reunion with their friends and kin await them.
If I learned anything from the both them, it was to handle life with wonder, hardship with grace, and look beyond the veil.
Off belay, fellas!
|
|
ECF
Big Wall climber
Ridgway CO
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 09:29am PT
|
A great man, great achievements.
Here in Ouray we have Jeff to thank for having a winter economy.
What a mustache he had BITD!
Finally free to climb clouds and nebula columns... Valhalla is about to get some kick ass mixed routes.
Sad, but inspired.
|
|
BruceHildenbrand
Social climber
Mountain View/Boulder
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 09:39am PT
|
I feel fortunate that I was able to spend an afternoon with him about two months ago at his nursing home in Boulder. When I first came in he was in his bed, but eager to get dressed and wheel himself out into the warming Boulder day. He couldn't talk anymore, but used a sheet with letters and a pointer to spell his words. Because of this I thought our conversations would be limited to basic phrases, but I found him still full of wit and humour. His body was failing him, but his mind was as sharp as ever.
We talked about everything climbing from bouldering("I never liked it. I always hurt my ankles") to the recent speed record on El Cap("it would take me that long to get to the base of the climb from the parking lot") to where to climb on a hot summer day in Boulder("find something in the shade").
At one point one of his fellow residents wheeled by headed over to the local Safeway and asked Jeff if he could bring something back. Jeff's response was to get him some Snicker's candy bars(a common climbing snack before the advent of energy bars).
RIP Jeff!
|
|
johntp
Trad climber
Little Rock and Loving It
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 09:52am PT
|
Ahh crap! I hope he went peacefully. As all have said, RESPECT. Read just about all his books. His stories are always good reads.
His book "The Ice Experience" and Chouinard's "Climbing Ice" were the bibles for ice climbing in the 70's and 80's.
|
|
Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 12:21pm PT
|
Very sad news, indeed. My deepest condolences to all those close to him--family and friends.
|
|
i-b-goB
Social climber
Nutty
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 12:45pm PT
|
You embodied Inspiration and commitment, RIP Jeff!
|
|
karabin museum
Trad climber
phoenix, az
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 12:45pm PT
|
I was just with Jeff one month ago at the OR show in Denver. He commented that he loved my museum photos and may visit Phoenix with his tour. When I hugged him he felt so gentle.......
I am going to go cry for a little while.........
|
|
Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado & Nepal
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 12:50pm PT
|
This is a shock since I visited him twice in the hospital here in Longmont, just ten days ago ago. At that time he was recovering from pneumonia and was going to be dismissed from the hospital to his new nursing home the next day.
His body was in terrible shape and he could only communicate by slowly typing messages on his computer one letter at a time which were then turned into voice communication. My first impression was how can he go on like this, his condition is so depressing? However as we talked, his indomitable spirit came through and I realized he was the most cheerful and humorous person in the room. His doctors and nurses from the hospital were so fond of him they were coming in to visit during their days off.
Jeff desperately wanted to communicate about climbing, so I told him funny stories from my climbing adventures in Colorado and Nepal and promised to visit him in his new place. I sent him an email asking for the address and never heard back. Now I know why.
I can't regret his suffering is over, only that I didn't have more time to spend with him. A great soul has passed.
|
|
neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 12:58pm PT
|
hey there, say, ... dear jello... jeff... you are gone from us,
here and now...
but-- you will NEVER NEVER be forgotten...
not by me...
and not by the whole world, that you touched with your life...
both the climbing life... and:
the 'type-talk' life, that you moved on into...
thank you so very kindly for being one of my first friends here...
and, for encouraging me to be here-- even though i did not climb...
thank you for advice, online friendship, and kind emails...
thank you for making folks happy...
thank you for sharing your climbing life...
thank you for sharing:
your hard awful struggle, on the awful hard
climbing trail, that you never expecting you have been doing,
with the ol' body, these last hard, but, 'inner beauty' years...
you will be missed by the world...
those that knew you and those that did not...
and those (like me) that knew you online...
you will NEVER NEVER be forgotten, just for being you, and
for sowing the seeds that you sowed in this world...
again, thank you for being a friend...
and, my prayers and love and condolences to your family and loved ones,
here, and among the world...
sad you are not with us... :(
however, a smile... :) for having had the chance to know you...
edit:
say, nature... i remember some photos, similar to what you shared...
perhaps they were from that very time that mentioned...
it was right back when jello was having trouble walking...
that was a wonderful share, about the sushi...
thank you for sharing...
|
|
Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 01:05pm PT
|
Jeff was like the brother I never had.
He was the person that led me to Utah.
He will be missed to a degree unexplainable.
The silver lining is the end of his suffering.
Rest easy my friend.
|
|
Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 01:28pm PT
|
|
|
Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado & Nepal
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 01:38pm PT
|
This is so Jeff, the most optimistic and humorous person in the room in spite of it all.
|
|
Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 02:16pm PT
|
A number of the interviews in Metanoia were made at this reunion in the Tusher Mountains in 2010.
I look back fondly on when we could easily talk to each other.
|
|
MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 02:56pm PT
|
A great, guiding, and light spirit.
|
|
rick sumner
Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2018 - 03:05pm PT
|
The man had true grit. I saw a microcosm of it in spring '75 when he climbed East Corner at the Leap. Despite 3 longish falls trying to get over the extremely sandbagged roof (rated 5.10 at the time but actually more like 5.12) he succeeded on the fourth go. This is level of determination he applied to his life and climbs I imagine.
Condolences to family and freinds.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!