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Fatal Ice Climbing Accident

Original Post
James2 Jones · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2014 · Points: 0

Ice climbing guide dies in fall
From Silverton Standard, the place where you can write!
Posted on January 30 2015, 11:32pm by Mark Esper in Local News category
A 50-year-old ice climber from Ouray died Friday in an ice climbing accident near Eureka.

Mark Miller fell to his death while guiding clients on an ascent of Gulley One, according to San Juan County Sheriff Bruce Conrad.

Miller was a well known ice climber and guide and “was a well-known fixture of the climbing and rescue community in the region,” Conrad said.

Conrad said the sheriff’s office got the call at about 6 p.m.

“It took a while for the climbers to get out,” Conrad said. “They had their own issues.”

Miller was a guide for San Juan Mountain Guides. Conrad said that Miller “lived for these mountains and loved to teach."

Conrad said that Miller’s clients described a failure in an ice bulge, and that Mark was climbing off-rope at the time.

Conrad said Miller fell “four pitches” with each pitch probably 70 meters of rope.

San Juan County Search & Rescue team members were dispatched to retrieve Miller from the remote location.

Macwood Fleet · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 40

Plated off ice can seriously knock your footing out. I wear knee pads for that reason too to save knee caps. Sad day.
RIP Mark.

doligo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 264

We are all in deep grief. Please keep your comments in check. Thanks.

e Dixon · · Durango, CO · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 4,805

+1 for doligo

Scott M. McNamara · · Presidio San Augustine Del… · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 55

Mark,

I am going to miss you.

So much talent.

So much teaching ability.

So much fun.

I am so sorry.

mtnguide.net/about-us/guide…

Scott Mc

Highlander · · Ouray, CO · Joined Apr 2008 · Points: 256

Mark, was one of the nicest guys you would ever meet, and had a great passion for ice climbing and teaching others. He will be greatly missed.

Fleetwood Matt · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 620

Lower the Ice Park flag to half mast.

Steve Williams · · The state of confusion · Joined Jul 2005 · Points: 235

My sincere condolences to Mark's family and friends. . .

Sad.

Rodney P · · Ouray,CO · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 335

Very sad news, RIP Mark

cdec · · SLC, UT · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 654

Thanks for the change James2.

Cybele · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 185

I am so saddened. Mark had a fair amount of influence on me and my climbing given the short time I lived in my beloved Ouray. His climbing ability and his commitment to SAR were an inspiration. He was there once at the top of a climb to scold me when I made a poor judgment climbing, taking a foolish risk beyond my ability level that affected others negatively, including him. He taught me some needed humility that day, and he would have saved my ass too, had I wanted/needed, yet he respected my decision to keep pushing on with my dumb choice. I saw during my time in Ouray what an integral member of the community he is. For these reasons I will never forget him. I am so deeply sorry for his family and the entire community must be utterly reeling. My heart goes out.

Mark was an incredibly expert climber, very good technically, of course. In the spirit of the SAR work he performed, and with respect, I offer the following thought: I hope his untimely death will serve and maybe even save others in that it be a reminder for those who take their climbing prowess as a given surety guarding against disaster on terrain well within skill level. I am NOT saying he did, and I do not want to be misunderstood on this point. I just mean, may this terrible thing be a humbling reminder for those climbers who need it to be.

I have really no adequate words, so I'll stop.

alpinerocket Pettijohn · · Salt Lake, Ut · Joined Dec 2008 · Points: 60

I'm heart broken to hear this. Mark was a big part of my early climbing life in Utah He took me under his wings and taught me so much. Through the years it was always wonderful to see how happy he was in Ouray. Prayers to his wife Colette.

doligo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 264

There will be an informal gathering to celebrate Mark on Sunday at 3pm at the Climber Memorial in the Ouray Ice Park. The official memorial service (official but not formal) will be held at the Ouray Community Center at 5pm on Wednesday. Please no suits and no black, wear bright joyful colors and bring funny stories. This will be a potluck. If you can't attend the service, please send your photos of Mark and/or stories to Mark's wife Colette (she would really appreciate this). The funnier the stories the better. PM me for the email address. Thank you.

Rob Cotter · · Silverthorne, CO · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 240

Mark was the route setter for the Ouray Ice Festival Competition in 2006 & 2007 for the qualifier they then had and the final. Such varied and creative problems he set...

He and his wife Colette volunteered enormous amounts of time to the organization of these events which were truly fun as well as exceedingly challenging. Though I hadn't been to the OIF in some years nor seen Mark of late these were truly formative events for me instilling in me a passion for competitive mixed climbing and while the OIF is still not a UIAA sanctioned event these early open competitions helped pave the way for the IWC being held in Bozeman this past December.

So Mark it seems was a man of vision more so than I would have realized at the time an innovator and self-taught mixed competition route setter, his death leaves the Ouray scene a little less vibrant.

Mark Miller died a warrior's death. So sad to see another of the grand old bulls brought down...

Jim Amidon · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2001 · Points: 850
azclimber · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 0
This post violated Rule #1. It has been removed by Mountain Project.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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