Beacon Rock tragedy

[Benjio]

I read that last thread on this and tried to post a response but the whole thing got deleted. I used to climb a tiny bit but haven't in a few years; I just reg'd here to send out a quick note and remembrance about Nate, my good friend.

 

I work with him at the fire station and he rides behind me in the fire truck each shift. He was (and will always be remembered as) an amazing friend and guy in general who's loss will leave a hole in our hearts that nothing or nobody will ever be able to fill. Everything he did, he did with passion; he was an inspiration to me and everyone who met him. I basically got to live with him every third day on shift at the statoin (when he wasn't off traveling the world looking for his next big adventure). I will forever remember Nate as the guy who grinned from ear to ear no matter how crappy the job was we were doing, the guy who sat next to me at every meal time and loved to laugh together, the guy who put as much heart and effort into a mundane task at work as he did climbing, and the guy who helped make me excited about going to work each morning.

 

The tragic loss of "Natedog" as we called him, will be heavy on our hearts and minds for years to come. I'm sure I'll still expect to see him smiling each morning and ask me how my girls are each morning when I walk into the locker room for years to come.

 

mods can do whatever they want with this -- Nate was such a free spirit, he probly wouldn't care either way...

Edited July 25, 2011 by Benjio

[kevbone]

So sorry for your loss. This is a true tragedy. Do you know the cause of this terrible accident?

[Lodestone]

I'm sorry to hear this.

 

We have a few Nates in the Portland climbing community. Would somebody mind cluing me in. I have an idea but don't want to speculate.

 

 

Chad

 

 

[Benjio]

His name is Nate Turner; some may have known him as Nathan. At the station we called him Natedog. He and a friend had climbed up somewhere on Beacon Rock and then he fell on the rappel down.

 

His family has all been notified and are adament about nobody else contacting them. The info/his name has been made public a few other places, so it's ok to put here.

[Plaidman]

Sorry for your loss. All the best to his family.

[pink]

Sorry bout ur friend dude... Condolences to all who knew Nate.

Edited July 25, 2011 by pink

[ivan]

do you have a photo of him you could post here? i've run into so many people at beacon over the years and i never can remember a damn name.

 

nothing to say at such times, so i'll go w/ my standard:

 

"wise king, do not grieve.

it is always better to avenge dear ones

than to indulge in mourning.

for everyone of us, living in this world

means waiting for our end.

let he who can achieve glory before death.

when a warrior is gone that will be

his best and only bulwark."

[pink_chalk]

Very sorry for the loss of your friend. I can't imagine the heart break of his friends and family, and those within TVF. I am told that firefighters stick together like brothers and sisters. Thank you for sharing a little bit of Nate with us.

 

 

[Plaidman]

Just got this:

 

 

OFFICE OF THE SKAMANIA COUNTY

SHERIFF

PO Box 790

200 Vancouver Ave.

Stevenson WA 98648

Phone (509)427-9490

Fax (509)427-4369

www.skamaniasheriff.com

scso@co.skamania.wa.us

 

 

 

UPDATED MEDIA RELEASE

 

Portland climber fatally injured in fall from Beacon Rock identified

July 25, 2010

4:00 PM

 

Nathan Turner, a 30 year old man from SE Portland Oregon, was fatally injured after falling over 100 feet from Beacon Rock late Sunday afternoon in a climbing accident. The man and his climbing partner, Michael Aubry, from NE Portland, were rappelling down the popular Southeast corner route at approximately 5:30 PM when the accident occurred. Beacon Rock is a popular rock climbing venue during the summer months.

 

Turner was a firefighter for Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue according to his sister.

 

“This is a very unfortunate accident that has taken place,” said Undersheriff Dave Cox. “Our heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to the family, co-workers, and friends of this young man”.

 

 

***** END*****

 

Thank you for your patience in this matter.

 

 

David L. Cox

Undersheriff

Skamania County Sheriff’s Office

509-427-9490 Office

360-772-6352 Cell

 

 

[Benjio]

Sorry, they sent us all home today and I don't have a good pic with me.

 

And yes, we (FF's) are a tight group. We basically live like a family every third day for 24 hours straight; we cook/eat, exercise, learn/train, run calls, enjoy downtime in the evening, and sleep at the station together. He was part of a group of REALLY tight guys who loved to travel. Seems like he was on a trip as much as he was ever at work. He loved going places and doing stuff all over the globe. A good portion of his travel included serving with MTI out of Portland providing aid and teaching around the world.

 

That'll probly be my last post on here. I was poking around earlier looking for info on the details of what happened and then it got deleted. Thanks for the kind thoughts though.

 

It still doesn't seem real. Thanks for the memories Nate, you are gone but you'll NEVER be forgotten.

[denalidave]

Benjio, I'm sorry for your loss. Condolences to you and all his family & friends.

[ivan]

found this pic - don't think i had the pleasure of making his acquaintance, a shame as he looked like a cool guy - i hate rappelling accidents and was damn lucky to have walked away from hopefully my last one

[denalidave]

 

mods can do whatever they want with this -- Nate was such a free spirit, he probly wouldn't care either way...

Benjio, I'm pretty sure the reasons the mods pulled that first thread is it was rumored to be another Nate that frequents Beacon Rock and posts on this site quite a bit. I got a call late last night about the accident. Again, sorry for your loss.

[Benjio]

Yah, that's my boy there. We were all gathered around a buddie's laptop watching videos and looking at pics of Nate today; it's strange to think I'll never get to talk or laugh with him again.

 

Although he loved his job and was an incredible firefighter to work with, a picture of him rowing old ladies around for fun in Cambodia or topping a snowy peak in South America would better show his true nature and loves.

[denalidave]

Yah, that's my boy there. We were all gathered around a buddie's laptop watching videos and looking at pics of Nate today; it's strange to think I'll never get to talk or laugh with him again.

 

Although he loved his job and was an incredible firefighter to work with, a picture of him rowing old ladies around for fun in Cambodia or topping a snowy peak in South America would better show his true nature and loves.

He sounds like a great guy, sorry not to have met him.

[odarodle]

Benjio, from a sister up North (and fiancee to one of your guys)... I can't find the words to express how sorry I am for your loss, all of you. All the stories I heard of Nate, and the huge regard with which he was spoken of, and the legendary smile and positive attitude.. my heart breaks for his family-- both "families". I can't imagine what you all are feeling right now, but I know his spirit and love of life will live on in the hearts of his brothers and sisters.

 

Godspeed, Nate.

[Lucky Larry]

I'm really sorry for the senseless loss of another very good soul. Please, really watch out for each other you guys. I almost lost a friend the same way because I took it for granted that he knew he was at the end of his rope (I knew he had done the rap before) when he pooped off right in front of me--he walked out with a broken wrist and bruises instead of in a coffin or worse.

[stevetimetravlr]

I am greatly saddend by the loss of Nate, and my sincere condolences to his family and friends. Beacon is a place of savage beauty with its soaring cliffs and rugged landscape of the Gorge. Vertical rock and climbers and trains and peregrine falcons and elk herds, kiteboarders and islands and massive barges all sharing the same space. To be a climber at Beacon in the summer is to be in a very special place, and Nathan had to have been doing what he loved. I know we as climbers will always remember him here, and honor his memory as a fallen comrade. Peace be with you Nathan!

[pink]

sorry bout ur friend steve

 

Edited July 26, 2011 by pink

[froodish]

Benjio,

 

Condolences on your loss. Sounds like Nate was a great guy, loved well and was well loved.

[kevbone]

I almost lost a friend the same way because I took it for granted that he knew he was at the end of his rope (I knew he had done the rap before) when he pooped off right in front of me--he walked out with a broken wrist and bruises instead of in a coffin or worse.

 

I remember this day vividly.

 

Be careful out there fellow climbers.

[Plaidman]

Nicely said Steve. DITTO!

 

I am greatly saddend by the loss of Nate, and my sincere condolences to his family and friends. Beacon is a place of savage beauty with its soaring cliffs and rugged landscape of the Gorge. Vertical rock and climbers and trains and peregrine falcons and elk herds, kiteboarders and islands and massive barges all sharing the same space. To be a climber at Beacon in the summer is to be in a very special place, and Nathan had to have been doing what he loved. I know we as climbers will always remember him here, and honor his memory as a fallen comrade. Peace be with you Nathan!

[Seamstress]

Nate was a very friendly man. It was always a pleasure to encounter him at the cliff. Peace.

[pink]

Pulled this from RC.com

 

 

Re: [majid_sabet] Portland climber dies after falling off Beacon Rock [in reply to]

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This came from MP

 

 

From White Salmon WA

5 minutes ago

Part of an anchor on Pingora.

 

 

My girlfriend and I watched him fall. We were at the bolted belay for the slab pitch of the SE Corner. We had come up cruzin and were going to traverse over to snag ledge and rap. I noticed a party of two were at the top of Jill's Thrill and prepareing to rap to snag ledge. I decided to wait for them to go down before us. We were sitting talking enjoying the views and being up out of the bugs. We heard a scream and looked over to see him falling about 15 feet below the anchors. He bounced off of snag ledge and fell out of our veiw. We screamed for anyone within earshot to call 911. His stranded partner was freaking out yelling too. We told him just so sit tight and stay tied in. I traversed over to snag ledge and brought her over. We set up a rappel to get to the ground and him. I was not looking forward to this. Someone on the ground had heard our yells and called 911 and the park EMT's were there in in 10 minutes or less. They told us to stay put up on snag ledge. From there we were able to relay info up to his stranded partner and vice versa. At first they said he was alert and conscious. After some time had passed the urgency of the activity below us slowed way down. After they had taken his body away they let us come down. Jim Opdyke was coming down the standard rap route and was able to rescue his partner Mike and they came to the base after we did. At that point they told us Nate( a firefighter from Beaverton) did not make it. I am 90% sure he only clipped only one strand of his rappel line. There was a knot in the end that was tangled on snag ledge. The EMT's cut the part of the rope he was attached to. The lesson here is check, double and triple check your partner and yourself. Mike had the incredibly brutal job of going through Nate's phone and notifying his dad, sister and and girlfriend. If you know Mike or Nates family they could use your support in a big way now.

 

[marcus]

Benjio-

 

Deepest condolences to all of Nate's family, friends and his brothers & sisters out at TVFR. This is indeed a sad and heavy reminder for everyone to remain always vigilant with their safety systems - at the crags or on the fireground - and to savour each day as a gift to be lived to the fullest.