RIP Rob Jansen (rjansen77)

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Re: RIP Rob Jansen (rjansen77)

Post by SurfNTurf »

Melvin wrote a superb article. Mostly because it's nagging at me, one minor little clarification:

I'm not 100-percent sure on the board shorts story. More like 75-percent sure? We only talked about it once. I know at some point growing up he was told he needed lightweight, quick-drying shorts for some sort of outdoors trip. So, Rob being Rob, instead of buying a new pair, he just used what he had: swim trunks. Everyone got a good laugh out of it and it became his "thing."

What I'm nitpicking, I guess, is I'm not sure if it was for a summer camp, or a hike, or even Rainier. Someone out there knows the story much better than I do, and I just hope I came close.
“There are two kinds of climbers: those who climb because their heart sings when they’re in the mountains, and all the rest.” - Alex Lowe

"There have been joys too great to describe in words, and there have been griefs upon which I cannot dare to dwell; and with those in mind I say, 'Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste, look well to each step, and from the beginning think what may be the end.'" - Edward Whymper
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Re: RIP Rob Jansen (rjansen77)

Post by SurfNTurf »

From Rob's sister:
Funeral Information:

The funeral will take place next Saturday, September 8th at 2:00pm at The Congregational Church of New Canaan, located at 23 Park Street, New Canaan, CT, 06840.
Telephone: (203) 966-2651
http://godsacre.org/visit-us/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Robert has been a member of The Congregational Church for many years.

After the funeral, a reception will be held at the Roger Sherman Inn, located at 195 Oenoke Ridge (CT Route 124), New Canaan, CT, 06840
Telephone: (203) 966-4541
http://www.rogershermaninn.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to either:

Mountain Rescue Aspen
(http://mountainrescueaspen.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

or

New Canaan Volunteer Ambulance Corps
(http://ncvac.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

Donation information is online.

We hope to see many of you there. Thank you.
“There are two kinds of climbers: those who climb because their heart sings when they’re in the mountains, and all the rest.” - Alex Lowe

"There have been joys too great to describe in words, and there have been griefs upon which I cannot dare to dwell; and with those in mind I say, 'Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste, look well to each step, and from the beginning think what may be the end.'" - Edward Whymper
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Re: RIP Rob Jansen (rjansen77)

Post by Trainer Keri »

This was definitely one of my most memorable trips and I left with no summits. I was with a group of people who had the best attitudes and know how to have fun and laugh even in the most miserable conditions. Amazing group of people right there. I remember sitting around camp in that miserable MISERABLE cold ass wind with negative thoughts in my head and dreading having to go to the bathroom cause that means I'd have to remove clothing. Rob who was right next to me was happily pulling out tubberware after tubberware filled with food out of his pack talking about each item lol. It became one of those things when you think about in the store or where ever you laugh out loud about it and you can't explain it to anyone cause you had to be there. Even with all that gear he still beat everyone up the mountain. The one positive thought I had that day was if that wind trapped us there for days and days at least Rob has us covered with food lol. Bill you definitely win the award of having to endure me in a tent for an obscene amount of hours...we started posing the gummy bears for pictures and making them talk we were so bored. And Dillion I'll never forget downclimbing that steep ass snow slope with you..I was scared shitless and you were cracking me up. And Jeff I loved your crash course on snow climbing that day and all your knowledgable advice and how you always remain so calm when I want to run around and yell loudlyand flail my arms...perfect example is "ooh you're fine...you can drive your expedition thru that big ass lake no problem...its fine lol...and I for some reason always believe you. I love you guys...you guys are the best...and my heart goes out to all of you.
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Re: RIP Rob Jansen (rjansen77)

Post by Fisching »

I have been reading each and every one of your comments and it's made me... feel. For the last few days and sleepless nights, all I have felt is numbness.

I realize now, that's not true. What I have been feeling is love and admiration for a guy I was lucky enough to call my friend. Until now, I’ve been refraining from saying anything because it’s too painful. I was with Rob in his last hour and there’s something I told him that I yet to tell those of us on Hagerman or anyone in our gang, the Brat Pack.

To me, Rob was this larger than life figure. Within the Brat Pack, Rob was the guy I held up on a pedestal; I wanted to BE Rob. I’ve been envious of what he’s accomplished – 34th in the Leadville marathon, some of the fastest climb times for 14ers, Rainier as a 15 year old, unparalleled knowledge of geology, routes, avalanche conditions (you name it, he knew it) and amazing hiking and climbing experiences with his dad. As envious as I was of his natural abilities, I was humbled by his modest personality; he never bragged about his accomplishments, he never felt he was better than any of us (although we all knew it). I remember back in April when Rob, Jeff, and I were attempting Lindsey as an overnight trip. I sent Rob a G-Chat message asking if I could split a tent with him. He responded, “I would be honored to have you as my tent mate.” He had a way to make you feel like you were far more important.

I was blessed to be able to share these feelings of Rob with the legend himself. I never felt like I was worthy to call Rob my friend and yet, he told me in his worst hour as we held hands, his head resting in my lap, “You’re a good friend, Greg.” What I told the reporter from Rob’s hometown of New Canaan is that I didn’t want to focus on Rob’s last hour, but rather on the guy we all knew for 24 years. However, even in that hour he still had that same, humble personality that left me just as awe-struck as the moment I met him at the Halloween Outing at Quandary last October.

10 minutes before the rock slide, the 5 of us - Tyler, Dan, Rob, Dillon, and I - were talking about the bond we shared. Mountaineering requires complete trust to be put in one’s partners. I place my trust in every single one of these guys and have no reservations with it. I trust my life with them, and always will. I distinctly remember someone (I wish I could remember who) saying, "Out of all the partners and groups I've climbed with in the past, there isn't a group I want to climb with more than you guys." The other four of us echoed the same sentiments on how we love our close knit group as well as the other members of the Brat Pack conquering their own goals this weekend. I believe I speak for Tyler, Dillon and Dan when I say that we will always value one of the last moments Rob spent with us when we were all able to let each other know how much we all mean to each other.

After talking with Rob’s dad for nearly two and half hours on Monday, he said something that I believe we should all live by to cherish Rob’s memory. Bill Jansen talked about how close their family was, "We would talk daily and literally say we love each other about 10 times a day." It’s easy to focus on Rob’s physical accomplishments and climbing experiences, but beneath all that was a guy filled and surrounded with love. For Rob, make sure that each and every day you tell those who have impacted your life, whoever they are, that you love them.

Rob Jansen, I love you.

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Re: RIP Rob Jansen (rjansen77)

Post by Johnson »

Beautifully said Greg. I can't imagine being in your shoes and I don't ever want to. Thanks for posting dude.
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Re: RIP Rob Jansen (rjansen77)

Post by milan »

Last Sunday, Jeff - SurfNTurf, a member of a group of great people and good friends invited me to hike Capitol with them. They did it after I submitted a thread here, that I only have couple days before I leave the USA forever and wanted to climb one of my two remaining 14ers. They were so nice, that they honoured me go with them. Everything was great and I especially enjoyed the scramble between the knife edge and the summit. On the summit someone got text messages, I didn't realize who it was (now I know, it was Jeff). He called and then said that someone (I did not hear the name and even if I did, I would not know who exactly it was) died on Snowmass/Hagerman. It was incredibly horrible, we all were just looking at Snowmass at that time and all group was ruined by that. Then they talked about someone broking his leg and I was hoping, that this is a new development and nobody died. It still felt bad. I was trying not to think about that and I was unable to ask the other members what exactly happened. It all just looked bad. Before we left, I let some other people to take a group picture of us and someone said its weird. I am sorry if it was. I was hoping that someone broke his leg but I had the bad feeling I may be wrong. Before we left, I did what I always do on a summit of a difficult peak. I touched the highest rock and asked Capitol for safe descent for all of us. I think, we all paid more attention than ever. We made it over the K2, I was slow and the group was always waiting for me. Then, on the way down through the talus, I asked someone and got the full explanation what the people knew that happened and how close friend to them Rob was. I still did not connect if I ever met Rob but when I got home and looked at the pictures, I realized I met him on Culebra. He was there with a lot of friends (including Jeff) and we (me, David - Dswink, and Sylwia - Tatra) talked a bit with them after we got back to the cars. They all looked like best friends and they were very friendly to us too. I know, Rob will be missed by many people. Jeff says I and Mandy made him smile, I apologize, if I was insensitive or something during our descent, I hope not, I wasn't getting it in full by then. It really downed at me much later and made me really sad. Here is a picture from Culebra, the group of friends. RIP Rob.
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Re: RIP Rob Jansen (rjansen77)

Post by globreal »

Very nice tribute Greg. Very nice indeed.
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Re: RIP Rob Jansen (rjansen77)

Post by zdero1 »

Ah. Tears to my eyes, Jeff and Greg. Sending my love and strength and all the best to you guys and the rest of the Brats and certainly along with his family and friends. I was deeply moved by the two recent articles posted. I know that over the last few days I have done some self-reflection and Rob's memory will certainly be a source of inspiration for me. Thanks for such a wonderful gift, Rob.
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Re: RIP Rob Jansen (rjansen77)

Post by dillonsarnelli »

I’m still not sure I’ve come to terms with this, so please bare with me. I have found that reading and talking about it have made it harder.

I met Rob (and Jeff) randomly in December after responding to a post on the Facebook site about a Sherman climb. Two days later I picked them up at 4 AM, drove off to Sherman in a blizzard, and then summitted in a negative 13 degree whiteout. We never looked back. A day later I had a 14er screen name. A week later I was at my 1st 14er Happy Hour. It was an instant friendship. It’s amazing that was only 9 months ago because I can’t imagine my life now without Rob.

Going into Sherman I had climbed six 14ers. Snowmass with Rob on Saturday was #43, which includes a 3 month break during tax season. I owe that to a lot of people in our group (the best group of guys I have ever known I might add), but NO ONE more than Rob. He was the most enthusiastic, knowledgeable, fun, enjoyable, easy to talk to guy I have ever met. I tend to ask a lot of dumb newbie questions about mountains, but when you're friends with Rob, you can ask as many dumb questions as you want. He not only looked forward to answering them, he made you think you actually asked a good question. People like to put Greg and I in the same speed category as Rob sometimes. I can't keep up with Rob. No one can keep up with Rob. He is a beast, but if you ever told him he was a beast, he'd somehow have you thinking you were the fastest man in the world by the end of the conversation. There will never be another Rob. He was first class and one of a kind and the 169 posts before mine easily attest to that.

A story that I like to tell…. It’s not a mountain story because that would be too easy. By now you all know that the only thing Rob liked almost as much as mountains was Dales. Well in beer terms, the only thing that he liked as much as Dales was maybe a Deviant Dales. We had seen that the Deviant was going to make its debut in early 2012 and I think Rob asked me every day in January if I had seen it at the beer store yet. To which I usually responded, “Rob I don’t go to the beer store everyday! You’re supposed to tell me these things my friend”. Well, I climbed Ellingwood and Blanca with Rob on January 15th and then did not climb another peak with him until Princeton on April 29th. We still talked to each other every day, but I was 100% lost in tax season watching from the sidelines. After not seeing me in over 6 weeks, he showed up at my front door in March with a 4 pack of Deviant Dales pounders, handed me the bag, smiled, said good luck with the rest of tax season and told me he couldn’t wait to get back out there with me. He wouldn’t even come inside. Just smiled and said he was waiting for me. I will NEVER forget that day. Who does that??!!?!? Robert Jansen does that.

Rob you were THE BEST and I will never forget you. I miss you so much right now that there are no words to explain how I feel. I will try to live my life everyday as you would have brother. I am a better person for having known you my friend. The only words that come to mind are THANK YOU.

May you rest in peace Robert Jansen. I miss you buddy.

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Re: RIP Rob Jansen (rjansen77)

Post by DurangoJenn »

gregory_fischer wrote:To me, Rob was this larger than life figure. Within the Brat Pack, Rob was the guy I held up on a pedestal; I wanted to BE Rob. I’ve been envious of what he’s accomplished – 34th in the Leadville marathon, some of the fastest climb times for 14ers, Rainier as a 15 year old, unparalleled knowledge of geology, routes, avalanche conditions (you name it, he knew it) and amazing hiking and climbing experiences with his dad. As envious as I was of his natural abilities, I was humbled by his modest personality; he never bragged about his accomplishments, he never felt he was better than any of us (although we all knew it). I remember back in April when Rob, Jeff, and I were attempting Lindsey as an overnight trip. I sent Rob a G-Chat message asking if I could split a tent with him. He responded, “I would be honored to have you as my tent mate.” He had a way to make you feel like you were far more important.
Those of you who knew Rob and were part of his brotherhood have written such touching and moving things about him. I never knew him, but I wish I had had the honor of meeting him. This paragraph in particular struck me, as this is the kind of person I admire and look up to despite his being 20 years younger than me, and the kind of person I would hold up as a role model for my sons. I can tell he was an extraordinary individual. My deepest and heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. I am so very sorry for your loss.
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Re: RIP Rob Jansen (rjansen77)

Post by SkiBikeClimb99 »

Reading all of the posts from Rob's close friends makes me sad I never had a chance to meet him. My prayers and condolences are with Rob's friends and family. He's definitely resting peacefully above the cloud cover now. Tom
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Re: RIP Rob Jansen (rjansen77)

Post by hollamby »

Rob rest in peace man. You have a lot of true friends that you have deeply affected.

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