olyclimber

A bit of levity: The story of David Lee Roth in Yosemite.... https://www.thoughtco.com/rocker-david-lee-roth-skyscraper-3972248 http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=78334&tn=0&mr=0 paging @kevbone

you also usually don't hear of climbing being classified as text book addiction though. the whole "died doing what they love" thing...well that i think depends on your outlook on life and death. as has been pointed out several times in this thread already, life is fatal. we all go, and most of us don't get to choose when or why. "died doing what they love" is something not something that dead people say...its what the survivors say when they are trying to cope with the loss of a friend or a loved one. it just sounds better than the alternative. it does seem a bit silly, but people cope how they can. What will you do when the Risk Gestapo show up to take away your paragliding equipment because someone else deemed it too dangerous a sport?

@Water yes we will! I think we just need to make the tools to do it. We actually had something simliar before, but I think we can make it better than what we had. And I think we just need help in cleaning up the trip reports in general. Where they are missing pictures, can we get the pictures back in? I've actually been able to manually fix a few really good TRs.

I imagine getting drunk could fit under denial.

cheamclimber

https://dps.alaska.gov/dailydispatch/Home/Display?dateReceived=3/14/2018 12:00:00 AM Location: Mendenhall Ice Field Type: Search and Rescue Dispatch Text: UPDATE: On 3/13/2018, weather cleared and search assets were able to be deployed. The chartered Coastal helicopter, with Juneau Mountain Rescue members on board, was able to reach the north face of the Mendenhall Towers. An intact anchor rope was seen at the top of an ice shoot on the 4th Tower. Two climbing ropes were also seen in a crevasse midway down the 4th Tower. The ropes match the description of the gear carried by Johnson and Leclerc. Due to the circumstances, Johnson and Leclerc are presumed deceased. Due to continuing significant avalanche danger and safety hazards, recovery efforts are not feasible at this time. Next of kin for Johnson and Leclerc have been notified. Missing person files have been entered into the missing persons clearing house for both Johnson and Leclerc. The Alaska State Troopers would like to thank our search and rescue partners along with businesses and member of the community that donated food and supplies to support the volunteer search personnel.

And there is this....ropes found: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/marc-andre-leclerc-dead-1.4575601

As I understand it, they have called off the search for now. His father is making the presumption, which speaks to the probabilities. No parent wants to give up home for their beloved missing child.

https://grief.com/the-five-stages-of-grief/

this is a well written article about Marc https://gripped.com/news/canadian-marc-andre-leclerc-has-passed-away-at-24/

The GoFundme page (https://www.gofundme.com/592fn8w)is now updated with this message: It is with great sadness we update this page tonight. Marc’s dad sends this personal message below. “To all of our friends near and far who have been supporting us and praying for Marc André I wanted you all to hear it from me first hand before it’s in the news. Sadly we have lost 2 really great climbers and I lost a son I am very proud of. Thank you for the support during this difficult time. My heart is so broken...Part of me is gone with him... Our family appreciates all of your prayers and we would like to ask for a time of privacy as we come to grip with these devastating developments... Marc-André was an amazing, loving man and he has touched many lives in so many ways. He will be remembered and loved forever. I know he is with our Lord and I will be with him again one day. ❤️”All support for this page will now go to the family and Marc’s partner Brette to manage and deal with the multitude of items they now have in front of them. As well as much needed respite and closure costs. Thank you to everyone for all your messages and contribution. Our community is strong and we will get though this as a loving collective. Our gratitude goes to the Juneau Mountian rescue for all the effort and care they gave to search. I received this message from a mentor of Marc’s tonight. Speaks to who Marc was for so many. “I gotta say, I loved that young guy, almost like my kids. his energy and enthusiasm were unparalleled, and infectious. his skills were amazing, of course, but that wasn't what made MA special - it was his ability to 'see' possibilities where no one else could even begin to imagine.”Arcteryx Marc’s sponsor has been by the families side and doing everything possible to help. Thank you Justin and John. Please do not send news inquires to me. All inquires should be sent to John Irvine John.irvine@arcteryx.com he has been appointed as spokesperson for the family. Please also see Ryan’s page and support Ryan son Milo, who will need our support and love. https://www.gofundme.com/ryanandmiloNathan and I have created this page to help support Marc’s family and friends and his partner Brette travel to Alaska to search for Marc Andre Leclerc and Ryan Johnson. Both climbers did not return as planned from their climb in the mountains on Monday. As the days go on the need increases to help with search efforts, travel expenses and bills that need to be covered as they are away from home. Today Juneau Mountian search and rescue managed to get up in the air. We are waiting for word and are so very thankful for their commitment and hard work. See article below from local news. Search and rescue officials are looking for two experienced climbers who are overdue to return from a climbing trip in Juneau. George "Ryan" Johnson, a 34-year-old Juneau man, and Marc-Andre Leclerc of British Columbia were dropped off near the Mendenhall Towers on Juneau's Mendenhall Ice Field on Sunday, Alaska State Troopers said in a written statement. The two men last communicated with family and friends Monday after climbing to the top of the towers. They had planned to return to Juneau via the West Mendenhall Glacier Trail by Wednesday evening. https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.adn.com/alaska-news/2018/03/08/search-and-rescue-underway-for-2-men-on-juneaus-mendenhall-ice-field/%3foutputType=amp-type Please help with what ever you can. We are a connected outdoor community who can, these men are our men. Thank you for caring and making a difference.Your contribution will help in many ways right now. I am updating this page daily as I receive them. Thank you for your love, prayers and support. Nathan and Treya G7

Miss you Mark, and miss your wit. Hope you are well.

Truly one of the great minds living has passed. We all do. Here is to the next scientist who makes such a contribution!

on the plus side, the best climbers in Mexico will soon be Americans. So thats a sold win.

It could or should have been any of us. We're all lucky to be here.

nevermind all the tunnels that have already been built and used extensively. oh, and definitely aid. it is well known that aid climbers use way more Mexican drugs.

@glassgowkiss thank you for inspiring such a thought provoking thread. and thanks to all who have contributed.

We added the TR tool as a menu item, but you have to be logged on to use it. This is not a trick to get you to create an account and log on (though we would love you to do so!), but rather an unintended "feature" that we will try to sort out later. For now...thank you Jon for working hard on learning a whole new way of doing things! This is mo'betta, and an awesome 1.0! Thanks letting me jump into the clown car as it rolled downhill with no brakes. There is no other board on the Internet that I'd rather be on.

@Off_White I think that TR is a clear demonstration how some people can view a climb as bold (and these are usually people who view risk as a personal thing). And I also think @JoshK and others who agreed with him were also right and should be thanked for stating their own opinion about if the route should be included in 50 Classic Climbs of North America or not. I totally appreciate their comments in pointing out the objective danger of that climb. I always appreciate folks like @lunger and @rat who go out and climb something with high objective danger...if they share their TR, they are always honest about recommending it or not. Here is an excerpt from their Hozomeen climb:

I get it, you have your own narrow version definition of the word or you are choosing to only see it one way in this particular way. I'm talking about concern as in caring for someone else's well being regardless of how they got there. We might as well be speaking a different language. I'll just leave it at this, and I don't believe there is more fruit in this conversation for me: I respect that you have a point of view about this. Good luck with your point of view.

No, you don't get to decide when "concern" is properly used or not according to your own arbitrary definitions. Everyone has the right to be concerned in this case, and in every case when someone goes missing. Do you not have concern when someone suicidal goes missing? Concern can exist regardless of "why". Do you want some committee reviewing all risks taken and when someone should get accolades or be shunned as suicidal daredevil? I agree with Jay, it must be the Eastern European mentality you carry with you that causes you to ceaseless argue a strange point of view to us Westerners. I think your personal assessment that someone may be taking foolish risks and are receiving applause for something they shouldn't is a valid personal view point. But that is all it is, a personally held view point. It is a measure that you've set for yourself about how much risk is too much. And I support you in telling people about it and let them know that you think they are crossing the line you have set....having "concern" if you will. But it doesn't mean everyone (or even anyone) will agree with you.

Update 3/12/2018Juneau Mountain Rescue was able to fly with the Alaska Army National Guard today. However, the helicopter and crew were only able to briefly search the Mendenhall Towers before weather limited visibility and forced the crew to return to base. The helicopter was then grounded again for the remainder of the day due to foul weather. The Alaska Army National Guard flight crew and Juneau Mountain Rescue are prepared to again resume operations at the first available weather window tomorrow (3/13), and look forward to a more promising forecast.

I don't think "surprise" is the feeling or emotion anyone has here. In fact..."surprise" isn't even in the lexicon of the event. I don't see anyone here or even other sites who are concerned about "surprise". I see concern. I see sadness. I see hope, but it fades with each passing day. I understand your lack of interest of extremely dangerous things done untethered. You aren't alone there.

This is the last update from the page Off mentions above: -- Update 3/11/2018 --- Juneau Mountain Rescue was able to fly with the Alaska Army National Guard today. The helicopter and crew searched the Mendenhall Glacier for any sign of travel, and searched several possible descent routes on the South side of the Mendenhall Towers. Weather conditions deteriorated and the flight returned to base after 2 hours of searching. The helicopter was then grounded for the remainder of the day due to severe wind shear and winter weather conditions on the ice field. The Alaska Army National Guard flight crew and Juneau Mountain Rescue are prepared to resume air operations at the first available weather window tomorrow morning (3/12).