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Guide Dies on Grand Teton

ShireSmitty · · WP · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 70

Gary is survived by his wife Kate and 2 young sons, there is a Go Fund Me campaign for them started by Tim Walther... Exum is a very small tight knit community and Gary was an Exum veteran, a leader, mentor, husband, and father. Please consider making a donation in support of his sons and wife. Let's send those boys to college!

rgold · · Poughkeepsie, NY · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 526
ShireSmitty wrote: ...there is a Go Fund Me campaign for them...Please consider making a donation in support of his sons and wife.
Link?
Tico · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 0
ShireSmitty · · WP · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 70

Bump to the top for the go fund me

Bill Lawry · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 1,812
Chris Owen wrote:.... I'm hoping we can get something out of this .... Ask yourself if you can die, if the answer is yes, then find a mitigation - no matter how expensive or inconvenient.
The word ";mitigation"; still implies some chance of death. We are talking about making a judgment here, one of a continuous stream that mountaineers / alpinists / guides make every day, where very often certainty can never be assured.

Perhaps something to get out of this: If absolute certainty is desired, the mountains are not the place to be.

Gary, I also choose the mountains. Rest in peace.
Bill M · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 317
Bill Lawry wrote: Perhaps something to get out of this: If absolute certainty is desired, the mountains are not the place to be. Gary, I also choose the mountains. Rest in peace.
I agree Bill. All the things I value the most in life I had to take a chance on.
Jim Amidon · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2001 · Points: 850

So sad and unfortunately most likely complacency may be a part of tragedy.

Easy ground so many people drop their guard........

I've done it way too many times myself..

Chris Owen · · Big Bear Lake · Joined Jan 2002 · Points: 11,617
Bill Lawry wrote: The word ";mitigation"; still implies some chance of death. We are talking about making a judgment here, one of a continuous stream that mountaineers / alpinists / guides make every day, where very often certainty can never be assured. Perhaps something to get out of this: If absolute certainty is desired, the mountains are not the place to be. Gary, I also choose the mountains. Rest in peace.
Mitigation is the reduction of risk, not the complete elimination of it. Working on a way to stay clipped in while freeing a jammed piece of equipment is a textbook mitigation.
Ali Jaffri · · Westminster, CO · Joined Jan 2005 · Points: 695

Gary was an awesome guide, instructor and friend. Remember meeting him for the first time in the Ouray ice park while teaching some beginners how to ice climb. Despite an early start he was already there with his clients and had set up 3-4 ropes. Instead of the usual "I got here first, Im the guide, so beat it" mentality, he was welcoming and offered me his rope to use for my group. The entire time we climbed he was super friendly and positive and we discussed a possible collaboration for him guiding in the Karakoram.

Later I took a climbing rescue course with him and his attention to detail was impeccable. Im glad I made some video clips of him.

Hope you get to climb some big beautiful mountains in the after-life my friend! RIP.

ShireSmitty · · WP · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 70

Bump it up

Bill Lawry · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 1,812
Chris Owen wrote: Mitigation is ....
I understand the definition.
Andy Nelson · · Fort Collins, Colorado · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 336
ShireSmitty · · WP · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 70

Bump

lynne wolfe · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2008 · Points: 25

A couple of details about the rappel devices: they had brought enough for each climber to have an ATC, but one client turned around early, and the other guide who returned with them had 3, not 2, devices in his pack. So one was lacking. He was offered devices by other guides, plus there were several other ropes available to put in place of the stuck one. We think he tried some other type of mitigation (arm wraps, ???) which obviously failed.

As someone above stated, it's a good lesson that, if Gary could make a mistake in this terrain, in this situation, with his customary diligence, then any of us can do so. I was just up there with clients, and it gave me the creeps to be at the top of the rappel, and I was very consciously on top of my game all day.

We miss him something fierce. He leaves a big hole in the fabric of the world, and of his Exum family.

Chris Owen · · Big Bear Lake · Joined Jan 2002 · Points: 11,617

Thanks Lynne - and my condolences.

Andy Nelson · · Fort Collins, Colorado · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 336

Bump

Gary Falk Memorial Fund

After seeing how quickly our community came together to fund rescue efforts for Kyle and Scott - I think we can finish this one off and help reach the goal for Gary's family!

James Schroeder · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined May 2002 · Points: 3,166
Andy Nelson wrote:Bump Gary Falk Memorial Fund After seeing how quickly our community came together to fund rescue efforts for Kyle and Scott - I think we can finish this one off and help reach the goal for Gary's family!
Agreed. Bump again.
Old lady H · · Boise, ID · Joined Aug 2015 · Points: 1,374

Bumped this. With the "OSHA" thread on here, thought folks should know that the GoFundMe in this thread appears to still be open.

Best to the family and friends. Helen

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Wyoming, Montana, Dakotas
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