Craig Luebben

I'm so sad to hear this news. What a sad loss for his beautiful family. I took a self rescue class and then shared beers at Woody's with Craig. When I told him I was Cuban and wanted to go there, we spent a couple hours looking at his pictures from his climbing trip in Cuba. He was such a warm and awesome person. He's made such a positive contribution in so many peoples lives, I'm honored to have met him. It is a sad, sad day.

No No No....this can't be happening!?!??! We have lost too many good people this year...this moves beyond tragic. My heart and blessings go out to Craig's family, friends and loved ones.

There are no words, and no one like Craig.....

Very sad for his family.....damn.....damn..........damn....

The tribe is losing some key souls. RIP. blessings to his family.

Unbelieveable... I cried in disbelief when I heard this news. To lose a friend, co-worker/guide is too much to bear at the moment. Makes me very sad. My deepest sympathies go out to Silvia and little "Jumar". Life can be so flippin' fragile. Live in the moment and live fully my people.

RIP Craig. May you continue on some crazy-ass adventure wherever you are. Namaste.

Horrible, horrible news. Like Mal, I learned of this terrible tragedy last night and have been trying to come to grips with the loss of such a bright light from our community. A climber whose accomplishments almost defy enumeration, Craig was also a fine and genuine human being. He was an excellent teacher who spent the greater portion of his life helping others safely enjoy the pursuit he was passionate about. At the crag, in the gym, on the street or in the bar, he always had a friendly smile and something good to say. He also seemed to take great pleasure in his family and to be proud of his role as husband and father. As great as the pain is that his family must be feeling, I can only imagine how deep his would be at having to leave them too soon. He will be missed by all.

My heartfelt condolences to Silvia, Giulia and other friends and family.

Tony and anyone else who may know, please do inform us of both memorial plans and any needs that we might see to.

"...Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, 'This was a man!'"

Craig has left great gifts...his teachings, literature, photographs, engineering, routes, memories...his spirit.

I climbed with him a couple of times at Hallets and Combat Rock. On Combat, I thanked him for all of the routes he created. He was surprised that I would thank him-he said that no one had ever thanked him for establishing routes and was very appreciative that I would mention it.

In the back of my mind was firmly planted the idea that as I get older and less able to lead big routes, Craig would always be there as an option for a guide.

God Bless and Support his family.

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

Dan Morta wrote:Take all the people from a fringe sport like climbing and take all the people from a fringe of that, offwidth climbing, and you have a small band of climbers that takes your passing as the death of a hero. While all climbers can claim to move over stone, only the offwidth climbers can claim to move through it.

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.

seattletimes.nwsource.com/t…

Couple of pics for reference:

Mount Torment with Taboo Glacier

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.

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