Willow Lake accident

Threads related to Colorado mountaineering accidents but please keep it civil and respectful. Friends and relatives of fallen climbers will be reading these posts.
Forum rules
Please be respectful when posting - family and friends of fallen climbers might be reading this forum.
User avatar
lordhelmut
Posts: 2310
Joined: 2/24/2006
14ers: 50  21  5 
13ers: 300 60 1
Trip Reports (73)
 
Contact:

Re: Willow Lake accident

Post by lordhelmut »

Very sad. I vividly recall Jesse's Boulder Lake Peak Z and Z-prime TR from a few years back and how his passion for spending time in the mountains was clearly evident. Sounded like a really solid guy.

I remember we went back and forth about some tentative plans to hit the Gores a couple summers ago, but never got around to it. This is a haunting reminder to take advantage of a chance at a potential friendship and follow through with what you say your gonna do, rather than keep on assuming there is always next time.

RIP.
User avatar
jeremy27
Posts: 139
Joined: 11/3/2008
14ers: 36  3 
13ers: 67 3
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Willow Lake accident

Post by jeremy27 »

My wife and I met him in March on top of Democrat right before he and a partner skied down to Lake Emma. I still needed to send him some pics. I still have a PM from him to remind me. Sad. Our condolences to his friends and family.
tmathews
Posts: 3460
Joined: 7/2/2008
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Willow Lake accident

Post by tmathews »

From his Facebook page

Image

Image

It's kind of eerie that the thumbnail on his photos is of him at Willow Lake.

Be at peace, Jesse.
User avatar
gopilot
Posts: 139
Joined: 6/9/2008
14ers: 58 
13ers: 4
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Willow Lake accident

Post by gopilot »

This is a sad story. I got word about the canoe and took it for a paddle last Summer. The ride was a real treat. We stayed close, really close, to the shore because without jackets we knew we'd be goners if we flipped in the middle of the lake. I say leave the canoe, just be smart and safe. That is always the rule in the mountains.

RIP Mountain Brother...
User avatar
IHikeLikeAGirl
Posts: 991
Joined: 9/5/2007
14ers: 58  6 
13ers: 329
Trip Reports (6)
 

Re: Willow Lake accident

Post by IHikeLikeAGirl »

Rest in peace Jesse....
"Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time."
- Steven Wright
User avatar
astrobassman
Posts: 242
Joined: 7/5/2006
14ers: 58 
13ers: 191 2
Trip Reports (7)
 

Re: Willow Lake accident

Post by astrobassman »

This is really a bummer. I didn't know Jesse, but loved his pictures and trip reports on summitpost: http://www.summitpost.org/users/dharmabum1984/23361" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RIP brother.
Davidbee0233
Posts: 15
Joined: 6/1/2012
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Willow Lake accident

Post by Davidbee0233 »

Peace be with you jesse

Its sad to hear about this As ive been planning a trip up to the lake recently.... Will be thinking about him
User avatar
sunny1
Posts: 1101
Joined: 9/13/2008
14ers: 58  4 
13ers: 225 8
Trip Reports (3)
 

Re: Willow Lake accident

Post by sunny1 »

Very sad. :(
I didn't have the opportunity to meet Jesse, but always appreciated his posts here - seemed like a good guy, levelheaded.
The pain of sudden loss is very tough. Wishing his friends and family peace and comfort. [-o<
The older you get, the better you get, unless you're a banana.
User avatar
Chicago Transplant
Posts: 4008
Joined: 9/7/2004
14ers: 58  12  24 
13ers: 697 39 34
Trip Reports (66)
 

Re: Willow Lake accident

Post by Chicago Transplant »

Sad to hear about this accident, and even more sad to find out that it was Jesse. I never met him, but I enjoyed his photos and TRs as well.

May you find peace in that "Great Gore Range in the Sky".
"We want the unpopular challenge. We want to test our intellect!" - Snapcase
"You are not what you own" - Fugazi
"Life's a mountain not a beach" - Fortune Cookie I got at lunch the other day
User avatar
RyanSchilling
Posts: 171
Joined: 1/18/2005
14ers: 58 
13ers: 249
Trip Reports (1)
 

Re: Willow Lake accident

Post by RyanSchilling »

Sad -- I remember helping him out a bit via PM when he took over the Cottonwood Peak page on SummitPost. RIP
User avatar
Gene913
Posts: 470
Joined: 12/15/2006
14ers: 58 
13ers: 11
Trip Reports (7)
 
Contact:

Re: Willow Lake accident

Post by Gene913 »

rijaca wrote:
Wentzl wrote:
That canoe being there was cool and a beautiful gesture for someone to drag it up there for everyone. Too bad about the accident, but if the boat can be retrieved. . .
Maybe they ought to retrieve the body first....
Retrieving Jesse's body definitely should take precedence over retrieving the canoe.
And it's highly doubtful that Jesse's family/friends consider it a "beautiful gesture" that someone dragged it up there and left it behind.
Packing a canoe up there for your personal use, no problem. Leaving it behind, bad idea.
Leaving it behind, no matter how well-intentioned the gesture might be, seems wrong on multiple levels.
Violative of LNT principles; creating an attractive nuisance with the possibility of use at times, by persons, and under conditions that increase the likelihood of a bad outcome, like this.
No doubt we are all responsible for our own decisions and actions. I would not, however, want to be responsible in any way for helping cause a tragedy that impacts anyone other than myself. Hopefully, the person who irresponsibly left the canoe behind has a different view on leaving stuff behind than before.
Grace and peace to Jesse's family and friends.
Last edited by Gene913 on Sun Jun 03, 2012 12:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, and you say to this mountain, 'move from here to there,' it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:21
User avatar
killingcokes
Posts: 242
Joined: 1/7/2006
14ers: 45  42  2 
13ers: 125 4
Trip Reports (64)
 
Contact:

Re: Willow Lake accident

Post by killingcokes »

Jesse was a good friend. It's such a blow to lose someone so young with such a passion for the mountains.

Myself and some friends skied his last line that he told me he wanted.

Enjoy the photos and thoughts
http://makingturns.com/?p=1589
Post Reply