Craig was an inspired teacher, a great writer and a wonderful guide.

In an AMGA class I took with him, he pushed me to be better. He pushed me to reach my potential. And he helped provide me with what I needed to obtain that potential.

As a writer and a guide myself, Craig gave me a role model to look up to... In such a weird career path, he was the epitome of success...but success isn't what makes a person great. Instead, it was that extra something that he had, that glimmer in his eye that showed how happy he really was...it was that glimmer and that attitude that truly made him great...

Jason

I was heartbroken to hear the news. Craig, you were a good friend, mentor, and hero to me. I will never forget drinking way too much with you until the wee hours of the morning in Vedauwoo and then you handing me a crate full of Big Bros just after sun up when everyone else was asleep, saying "let's go climbing", ignoring the fact that it was raining too. I have a million more stories like that about you and so do hundreds of others, which was what was so magical about your personality. I will miss you greatly and my heart goes out to Silvia and Giulia. Rest in peace buddy, you were an original.

My heartfelt condolences to Craig's wife and daughter, Silvia and Giulia.

What a shocking tragedy.

I knew Craig from his reputation and books, and personally from his great courses, Self-Rescue I and II, which I took several times, Anchor Building, and his Crack Climbing Clinic at Vedauwoo this past June. I registered for the second part of Crack Climbing in August.

His 2004 book, "Rock Climbing: Mastering Basic Skills," and the follow-on, "Rock Climbing Anchors: A Comprehensive Guide," I think are the best available. I refer to them often and strongly recommend them to everyone.

Craig was a great guide, but foremost in my mind, a truly great teacher -- calm, patient, thorough, and incredibly competent. If only I could be 10% as good.

Craig could explain forces in an easy to understand way and he taught me some of the coolest "tricks" for increasing efficiency without compromising safety in climbing. He studied such things, like the overhand knot for tying together two rappel ropes, tested it at the Sterling Rope lab, and reached his own conclusion that it was more than adequate (if tied correctly).

I'm shocked that you are gone Craig. You will be sorely missed and forever remembered.

Best regards,
Tom Stocker

Such sad news to come home to. Craig, I wish we had planned to grab that beer before I left and not after... My thoughts are with you Silvia. I'm so sorry.

Preston

Sorry to hear this. Sounds like the moat on the Taboo glacier collapsed under him.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/2009634430_webclimber1>>>>>

Couple of pics for reference:


Mount Torment with Taboo Glacier

Mount Torment and the Taboo Glacier Submitted By: sqwirll on Aug 10, 2009

Moat on the Torment Submitted By: sqwirll on Aug 10, 2009

Aw, man! I met Craig the year I started climbing; I took a crack climbing course at IC and he taught the self rescue course. Later, I watched him float up Big Baby, not knowing I was watching the inventor of the Big Bros. Only later did I realize how lucky I'd been to be in one of his classes, watching him climb. I'm so sorry for your loss, Giulia and Silvia.

I lent out my copy of "Rock Climbing: Mastering the Basic Skills" to an 18 year old novice a few weeks ago. Perhaps these sort of things will continue Craig's lagacy. Thoughts and prayers to his family and to those that knew him. I did not.

Condolences and prayers to Craig's family and friends. He will be missed.

I am stunned. I sat in Craig's living room and visited with him for 3 hours before he left for the Cascades. He taught me how to rock and ice climb. In 1987 on my first trip to Eldo, as a student in one of his classes, we TR'd Supremacy Slab, climbed Calypso, Anthill Direct, the first pitch of Tagger, then TR'd Temporary Like Achilles. We climbed until it got dark. He loved his wife and daughter and was so happy to be in their new home on Lookout Mtn. Craig I will miss you.

Just wanted to add my '2 cents'. Craig was an very fun climber to hang out out with. We definitely had some fun out at Indian Creek. I'll miss him a lot!

Craig was one of my best friends. He taught me to climb, from nothing to a high level of the sport in many parts of the world for over 25 years. The Vedauwoo photos posted above are mine, two of many taken of a man I admired without reservation. We wrote guide books and climbing articles together, and roamed where no one had ever gone or climbed before. Ironically, Willie Benegas, who was with him when the accident occurred, and I were putting together a climb of Cho Oyu next month. Craig, part of my soul is now gone. We've been through so much together. God be with Silvia and their beautiful daughter Giulia ('Jumar'). Giulia was born at almost precisely the same time on the same day as my loving wife of 30 years passed away. We both came to believe this was no small coincidence, and our friendship was cemented forever. These things will stay in my heart until I see you again Craig. And PLEASE Silvia, keep me in the loop. Oh God. I'm so sad.

ALWAYS.

Skip Harper

I've lost a lot of friends to climbing and it never gets easier. This one especially hurts. Got to know Craig when I was gear editor at R&I ages ago and have been friends ever since. Because he was in China and the deadline was tight, I did the final edit on on his book "Rock Climbing: Mastering Basic Skills" before it went to press; something that no writer ever wants on something so technical. He liked most of my changes but I did screw up one detail (a misinterpretation) and he forgave me. Helped him on the Anchors book too. But overall he was a very good writer on his own. And of course a solid climber.

But the real pleasure of knowing Craig was seeing how he absolutely glowed when Silvia, and even more so Giulia, were around or even in the conversation. His love of Cuba and the climbers there was also profound. There's definitely another big empty spot in the climbing world now.

http://climbinglife.com/latest-news/latest-news/craig-luebbe>>>>>

I only met Craig once, and I still can't believe how down to earth and personable he was. It is climbers like Craig whom make this sport great. Sincere thanks for the inspiration Mr Luebben!!!!

Craig was the guy who taught me to climb...it was the fall of 1988, and I was a bright eyed, looking for adventure, kid from Chicago, showing up in Fort Collins for my freshman year at CSU.

I enrolled in classes, including "intro to Rock Climbing" at Horsetooth reservoir. 2 weekends in a row bouldering at climbing around Horsetooth, and then it was off to devils tower for an ascent. Up the Durrance route with a group of about 5 as I recall. It got late, and I will never forget rappelling in the pitch dark down the lower pitches. I was pretty scared, and Craig was calm, cool, and reassuring. The ultimate teacher.

We climbed a bit at Lumpy in the early nineties, and I remember watching him lead crack of fear sometime back around then. Awe inspiring that gave me sweaty palms. Still does.

Thanks Craig....You lead me to have experiences in my life, that I hope I can share with others. Thanks for getting me into this sport in the first place. Your gone too early.....

We were just talking about Craig yesterday at Turkey Rocks. Shane had a blue Big Bro in his rack and of course we all had to go into the story of how Craig had designed them.

I always enjoyed running into Craig at the Golden City Brewery when I lived in Lakewood and Wheat Ridge.

Craig was a good guy. He made the effort to support other people climbing or otherwise. Once at the Taos Mountain Film festival one of my films had a early sunday morning showing. This is the worst time imaginable as saturday night is the big party night at most film festivals. So Chuck Grossman (who did some of the music for the film) and I show up to a empty screening room with the exception of Craig, Royal Robbins, and Glen Denny. One of the best audiences ever! Craig will be missed. My thoughts go out to his family.

How very sad for all of us, especially his family. My son Tristan and I were climbing at Arapiles in March - April, and the locals told us how impressed they were when Craig flashed Kamasutra, a very difficult, overhanging off-width. I'd planned to ask Craig for off-width tutoring when I next saw him - now I won't get that chance.
With all these deaths, we can only decide to live as thought each week, each month, was our last, and to value our friends that still live.

I had the privilege of climbing in the Vedawoos with Craig a few years ago. I was most impressed with his kindness, as he picked me up at the DIA and had me sleep over at his house prior to our trip. No other guide had done this for me before. I remember Craig introducing me to his beautiful little girl and Sylvia the next morning. It is hard to bear the loss of a great human being such as Craig. Condolences to Sylvia and Giulia.

Rest in peace and thank you!

I hope I at least expressed in words a few times: Thanks so much Craig for opening the door to every thing I love, and being a true friend too. It looks like I'll have to say the rest through the soul. I never realized time would run out so quickly. The message I keep getting is to keep enjoying all the beautiy of the hills and good peoples' company. Wow, I didn't know I was going to run out of time to share it all with you one more time. So sad. I will be looking for ways to reach out to Sylvia and Giulia, as I know their grief must be fathoms deeper than mine. Deep and Dear thanks to Craig for everything. I'll see you at the next belay - next pitch looks steep - hope I can get that sidewinder move my friend. Ouch.

My condolences. This is sad news.

Craig was an amazing teacher and photographer! I was honored for him to be my first climbing guidance through Red Rocks Community College. And his care and love towards the outdoors was amazing! He personally helped me through a death that happened to me on that trip!! He will be missed!!

Craig was a genuinely nice person. The minute you met him you liked him. I had the opportunity to take an offwidth clinic from him and saw firsthand what a great teacher he was. I learned a tremendous amount from him and he was the one who helped improve my offwidth skills. I will forever be appreciative of what he taught me. I am saddened to hear of his loss and my condolences go out to his family.