I met Richard in a chance encounter near the summits of Every Mountain and Cooper Creek Peak in 2022. Since that day, we’ve spent the better part of three seasons chasing BiCents together. I’ve seen first-hand the supreme effort Richard gave to this project, and I was fortunate enough to get invited along on some whacky adventures to places like Clark, Castleabra, Len Shoemaker, Oso, White Dome, Grizzly, Silver, Rolling, Magdalene, Pole Creek, Northwest Pole, a bunch of unnamed stuff, and on and on…. It’s been a treat for me to share these adventures with him, and to learn so much in the process. From his meticulous pre-hike research and logistical preparations, to his sixth sense for how to read terrain and find optimal routes to far off places, Richard really knows the drill. He has been a most dependable and reliable partner at every turn, and while he could certainly tackle most of these adventures without a lot of outside help, I always appreciated how Richard would welcome and embrace the input of a relative newcomer as myself. In the process, Richard has elevated my own confidence going into the mountains and made me feel part of the team. I am better than I was before in no small part due to the influence he has had on me.
All of this is to say nothing of Richard’s many experiences climbing mountains elsewhere in the world, with impressive accomplishments on almost every continent. There are too many international summits and achievements to list each one, and it is hard for me to single out any particular one, but perhaps no individual summit justifies my admiration for Richard as much as the current bicentennials celebration, an entire list of peaks that requires a LONG-TERM commitment, patience, focus, resilience, and fortitude. Richard has all of these qualities in spades, to say nothing of his pleasant and enjoyable company and personality.
Please join me in congratulating one of the good guys on wrapping up his remarkable journey across Colorado’s 200 highest! Way to go, Richard!
