Accident on NF of Shuksan today?

[spicoli11]

Always enjoyed his tr's and photos. Sad to hear of this

[MinusTheBaboon]

John Cooper Memorial Site

 

[Whatcomboy]

Wow. That must have been hard to write. That is a photo of a happy man. My condolences to his family.

[denalidave]

Condolences to family and friends.

[northofthewall]

A public memorial will be held for John Cooper IV tomorrow (Sunday, May 18th) from 3-6pm at the Sunset Community Center.

 

3003 NW 66th Street, Seattle WA 98117

 

https://goo.gl/maps/dx6As

[banos]

+vibes+ to family and friends..

 

donated to memorial fund.. it's the least I could do for his wife & kids

[ScaredSilly]

Thanks for sharing the day's event. I am sure it was hard to write. Hopefully it will bring some peace.

[Cornfed]

I met John 5 years ago on this site to climb (among all other things), the North Face of Shuksan. On that day, we had planned to follow the boot pack of a couple of other friends who had a head start on us, but they turned at the base of the route due to concern over the weather. John and I started up the route, but turned after an hour due to deep snow and slow going - we just weren't feeling it.

 

I've bantered back and forth with John these past five years wanting to give it another go with him. I guess that route may just have to go unclimbed for me. I'll save it for John.

 

I was lucky to have met John on this forum, and found that not only was he a better and more experienced climber and mountaineer than me, but a great guy. It turned out we were both breaking into the world of fatherhood together both having had our first born in the prior 3 years. Had we met 10 years earlier, I suspect we'd have gotten together frequently both socially and in the mountains and become very close. As it is, when you are 40 and starting to raise a family, getting out at all feels like an accomplishment at times and we only got together about once a year.

 

I had just sent John an e-mail seeking a lunch date this past Wednesday. Probably around the time of the accident. I wish he'd have gotten that e-mail, but it looks like that inquiry will have to go unanswered. I've been tearing up or outright crying for much of the past 24 hours and my heart absolutely aches for his wife Jill and their two kids - Lila (5) and Dillon (7) who won't have their daddy to take them skiing or to play soccer.

 

Thanks for the trip report. Heading over to the Memorial now...

[soreknees]

Yes. 1983 Peter Travis (19) and John Nelson (20) were swept over the same cliffs above Price Lake on June 26. They were young but solid mountaineers having summitted Mt. Waddington and other formidable NW mountains in their brief lives. Peter and John's family and friends installed a plaque at the far end of Price Lake that summer. It's been many years since I've been to see it. May be time to make the trek again. So sad.

 

Here's a link to the 1983 accident report: http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13198405500/Avalanche-Washington-Mount-Shuksan

[chirp]

A happy man and a soul that is surrounded by love. He will be ok, sad to see the fragmented family. Condolences.

 

[DPS]

I met John 5 years ago on this site to climb (among all other things), the North Face of Shuksan. On that day, we had planned to follow the boot pack of a couple of other friends who had a head start on us, but they turned at the base of the route due to concern over the weather. John and I started up the route, but turned after an hour due to deep snow and slow going - we just weren't feeling it.

 

 

That was me and another fellow you ran into. We were on skis and had planned on climbing the NF and skiing the White Salmon. The White Salmon was bony looking and the NF socked in with clouds so we ended up yo-yoing a nice stash of powder.

 

I knew of John through this web site and had the good fortune to run into him a few times in the mountains. He was unfailingly friendly and stuck me as being very strong and competent.

 

My heart goes out to his family and friends.

[KaiLarson]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/j4cooper/sets/

 

I'm hoping this is smashingwhiteknuckles flickr photos.

He has some great sets

 

 

Looking at these made me cry.

 

 

[Cornfed]

That was me and another fellow you ran into. We were on skis and had planned on climbing the NF and skiing the White Salmon. The White Salmon was bony looking and the NF socked in with clouds so we ended up yo-yoing a nice stash of powder.

 

I knew of John through this web site and had the good fortune to run into him a few times in the mountains. He was unfailingly friendly and stuck me as being very strong and competent.

 

My heart goes out to his family and friends.

 

I didn't recognize your name - did you change it? Anyway, it was no accident we ran into you. Your partner - Ari told me he wanted to do that route and I did too, but I couldn't leave the day before to camp as you guys did; I think you guys hooked up on Cascade. I was going to go up there solo to catch up later, but didn't want to head in solo and looked for a partner. Ari suggested I also check Cascade Climbers, and I was lucky to meet John this way (at 1AM when I picked him up). He was easy going, super strong, and likeable instantly. I spend the whole morning trying to keep up with him. We went maybe 500' above your high point, but were moving too slow in the deep snow, and our plan to use your boot pack to catch you on the summit for the descent was foiled when you turned back. Ari lives in SF now.

 

I had always hoped to repeat that route with John. He didn't reach out to me for this attempt, but had he done so, I suspect I might have tried to make it happen because I was itching to get out last week in the good weather. I guess the weather was too good (warm). In fact it was 66 degrees at 10am at the Baker telemetric station! The fact that I might have been compelled to join in the attempt him makes it all the spookier. Who knows, maybe I would have suggested it was too warm, or maybe I'd be with John now. Anyway, it breaks me up inside.

 

There was a super packed house at his Memorial on Sunday. Three hours of friends and family telling wonderful John stories. It is a blessing to be loved as much as he was loved and a tragedy to have the life cut short.

[northofthewall]

The memorial was an emotional and powerful event. His family and friends have organized a party-celebration, held Saturday night, Nov 15, 2014:

 

 

Join us Saturday November 15th for an epic gathering and FUNdraiser for the late and great John H. Cooper. Bring your Cooper school pride to Youngstown Cultural Arts Center for the School Dance and Social we've all been waiting for -- expect a full body takeover by the varsity all-stars DJ RIZ, DJ STACK, & DJ PAULY D.

 

GET TICKETS HERE:

http://cooperschool.brownpapertickets.com/

 

Donations:

http://thinkingofjohn.weebly.com/'>http://thinkingofjohn.weebly.com/

 

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/events/936837613011889

 

There will be snacks! There will be beer! There will be a bar! There will be NO regrets (unless you're absent)!

Bring your cash dollars, there will not be a plastic accepting device and this is a FUNdraiser for the next generation of school-bound Coopers - Lila & Dylan.

 

GET TICKETS! Please get tickets at whatever amount feels appropriate, as we will likely sell out. There will be tix at the door IF capacity allows, ticket holders guaranteed entry. Youngstown’s address is 4408 Delridge Way SW, Seattle

If you would like to support and can only be there in spirit please feel free to donate directly on John's Memorial Site so we can bypass BPT fees.

 

http://thinkingofjohn.weebly.com/

 

p.s. YOU ROCK!