Phil Furiosi (Mrwaffles989) Has died

[986ftTalltrees]

To many, Phil Furiosi was not human. Or perhaps he was just the opposite, the purest of humans. Phil and I met at 18 years old as freshmen in the dorms at U of Wyoming. He was one of the craziest and most passionate dudes I've ever met. We didn't keep up much after college, but his adventures urged mine higher and further over the years. A personality that inhabits only a handful of people in a lifetime.

Been lurking for years, but felt compelled to make a contribution in Phil's memory. RIPower Phil the Fury. "Climb that goddamn mountain."

[restlesslegs8]

^thanks for sharing. Never met Phil but based on his trip reports I can relate to learning from the mountains the hard way. Glad he documented some of these wild adventures! I've also been a long time lurker, maybe one day I'll post some TRS that rile up the conservative contingent as much as Mr Waffles did. Hope his parents know he was a inspirational figure for many online.

[Johnson]

That's sad news. I seem to remember discussing a night climb of a peak in Wyoming a few years back. Never got out with him. Condolences to those who knew him.

[cbrobin]

When I returned from his funeral in Scranton,Pennsylvania I put up this brief eulogy of Phil on FB.

I just got back from the funeral of Phil Furiosi. I knew him for less than two years and yet he had a profound effect on my life. I did things with him I never though I would. His family and loved ones welcomed me like an old friend during the very worst days even though I had never met any of them in person before. I spent time with his family yesterday morning. His dad had some great stories to tell about Phil. At the service I didn't know anyone and sort of sat there sad because these people had known Phil his whole life and I had such a short time with him. Then I heard it, ”Aconcagua”, and a few people looked at me. Yes, the bitter pill. It was our last mountain not our latest mountain.
We only climbed two mountains together. The first, Orizaba, was trivial compared to the second. At 18.500 feet (5500 meters) it's the third highest peak in North America and tallest in Mexico. I trained vigorously one might say fanatically. Once he helped me put on my crampons I was able to summit easily climbing the 2000 foot Glacier. Phil trailed behind because he was wearing ski boots and carrying his skis. Then he did, in fact, ski off the top.
We began planning for Aconcagua. Just shy of 23,000 feet ( 7,000 metres ), it's the highest point in the world outside the Himalayas. If you are successful on that mountain, you can join a trip to Mount Everest. We followed standard acclimating protocols going up and down and up and down the mountain. Both Phil and I are admirers of Anatoly Bourkreev. He won many awards for heroics while going back out into a blizzard to rescue climbers on Everest during the 1996 tragedy. Jon Krakauer trashes him in his iconic book on the subject. I had Anatoly's book with me and passed it around. Phil met another Russian guide Vladimir Kotlyar (he'll be on the cover of Outside Magazine soon) When we were ready to summit, the weather didn't cooperate and we were stuck at 18,500 feet for over week. Once we had to descend 5,000 feet to Base Camp to buy more fuel and I was reduced to begging from descending climbers for food so I didn't starve. We got a chance to get to know some great guys from Italy that were stuck like us. Finally, we found a weather window and set up our high camp at almost 20,000 feet. On summit day Phil's toes were cold and he pushed on ahead while my cold fingers slowed me down. We summited separately. When night was falling and I was delayed hours and hours from returning, Phil melted some water, put his boots on, left our camp and went Into Thin Air to find me. I'd like to think Anatoly would have been proud.
I'll miss you on Everest, my friend.

[San Juan Ron]

Very sad! Ron