Trish Stoops Memorial Page

I never met a climber more dedicated to supporting our tribe than Trish. She selflessly gave of her time, leading skills, friendship, and humor to anyone in the vicinity. Funny, spontaneous, gregarious, and sincere, Trish made an impression on anyone she met.

I had the privilege to climb with her several times, and sit by the fire, talking about life and climbing goals. Back in April of this year, 2019, I asked her to come and climb for my camera on a route Ben Chapman and I had recently established in the Alabama Hills. Located on a formation just south of Arizona Dome, the climb, You're an Arete, 5.8, will be renamed in Trish's honor. She climbed that route three times for the camera, so I could get different angles and light. Next time you're in the hills, go climb it, and know that Trish was there.

Trish Stoops Memorial Route, 5.8
Southern Arizona
Alabama Hills

Pam, very nice. A climb on the to-do list.

I offer my sincere condolences to Trish’s Family, Friends and fellow tribesmen. 

I met Trish on one of the SCMA Braille climbs several years ago at Joshua Tree.  She organized this climbing experience for sight challenged teens for many years.  And it was one of her favorite trips. Always giving.  I still remember that first meeting and the spirit of Trish becomes part of you.  She will be with us always in our spirit of climbing.  I will cherish those last days with her at the Alabama Hills grad this April.  She's in this photo, posing in the back with the sight challenged teens front and center.

Trish had infinite enthusiasm for climbing and life and was always so welcoming to everyone she met. She was bursting with a passion for climbing--that is what I remember most about her--she gave it everything she had, and it showed. She was, and is, an inspiration to all of us who find the mountains our home. She hugged me everytime she saw me on trips with the SCMA. There was a warmth about her that was contagious. Trish's smile always warmed your heart.

Here, Trish is leading a group of two parties on West Crack, 5.9, on Daff Dome in Tuolumne in 2017.  In the SCMA, she always made sure no one was left out, but included in the climb of the day, or the festivities at the camp site. Trish had a heart of gold!

This is terrible news. I met Trish once in Toulumne in August 2018. She welcomed us as if she had known us our whole lives. Then proceeded to be our personal guide for the next  few days. Her can-do attitude was remarkable.

Trish on the top of West Crack, with the spectacular views obscured by the then raging Yosemite fires.

I've met Trish through MP Forum, looking for a partner before my first trip to Yosemite in 2012. We've climbed in the valley and lived great days among the rocks. Our paths crossed again in the middle of a route at Pine Creek Canyon in 2013. She was a unique human being, spreading good vibrations around the Universe.

I met Trish at the school we worked at together. She supported students with disabilities and when she heard that I climbed as well, she came into my office excitedly to make plans to climb together. We climbed in Yosemite, Tuolumne, Shuteye, Alabama Hills and Joshua Tree. Trish introduced me to the SCMA and to many friends of hers. Trish, your big heart, vigor, motivation and lifestyle will continue to be inspiring for many of us!  Your big heart will shine on when you will be remembered in countless stories that all the people you touched deeply will share, around the campfires in the places you loved the most! 

I met Trish climbing in Squamish.  A truly great person full of life and happiness. We met up with her again in Red Rock this spring.  She was so looking forward to this summers climbing season.  She will be missed.

My condolences to her family, her students, and her climbing partners. 

Rest In Power, sister ❤️

Many others knew her better and for a longer time than I did.  Nonetheless, she made a heck of an impression on a newbie, old lady climber.  These were taken in JT on New Year's Eve, 2017 a few months before Trish's hip replacement and the morning after a long, happy night of talking, tippling and laughing.  She walked to the crag with her cane, proceeded to climb fabulously well, occasionally lifting her knee with her hands to place her foot when the bad hip wouldn't cooperate, and then walked back to camp with the cane, laughing and joking the whole time.  She shared ethics.  I bought my first rope early because she said it was poor form to expect others to always provide the rope- even if you're not leading, bring the damn rope.  

This is just awful news.  Trish was one of the sweetest people I've met in my climbing days.  She had the coolest crag cat too.  I can't believe she's gone.

A Tragic End To A Life Of Devotion Focused On Bringing The Magic to bare In Everything She Did
 To Any & All who Shared The Freedom Of The High Wild places. Know That You Were Blessed.

A Favoured Flame for sure
Magic Gone A light snuffed out
Fare Thee Well, Peace Out Woman

Goodbye to my dear 20 year climbing friend. I will miss your adventures spirit. You were sometimes  scary, always unique, inclusive, and kind. Always ready to stand up for the underdog and to  help people in need. I loved hearing about your wonderful summer climbing plans and how excited you were to get started. I am sad for all the young people you were teaching.  They will not have your patience and understanding and amazing example in how to help others next school year. SCMA will miss all your generous contributions.

I first got to know Trish on a Sunday afternoon in October at the end of an of an SCMA Braille Climb in Indian Cove.
 
We were chatting for some time in the back of her van.  I decided to ask her a few questions about Habitat for Humanity, which she had been volunteering a lot.  One topic lead to another.  Her dog Flaco was in the van.  When she found him in Central America he was skin and bones and hours from death.  Trish nursed him back to health and he looked great in the van.

I was so impressed with our warm and friendly visit.  I seldom encounter a person so caring, enthusiastic and warm hearted.  It brings tears to my eyes to think it will be no more.

Trish was an amazing friend, mentor and supporter. We originally met through SCMA, but ended up climbing together and hanging out not just as club members but as friends. I think Trish treated everyone as a welcome friend. One of my favorite memories of Trish was after we climbed stately pleasure dome, we had just got back to our vehicles and decided to have a roadside dance party (Rubber Soul) and couldn't stop laughing as we tried to get honks of approval from passing cars.

I can recall at least half a dozen times in Tuolumne, the Valley, and Joshua Tree that Trish helped me find a last-minute campsite. We were particularly grateful the time when we got to the Tuolome campground super late and while there were no more sites left, Trish had already identified a campsite whose occupants were sound asleep and we could sneak underneath the camp tables for a few hours of rest - of course, sneaking out in the morning before anyone woke up :). As always, Trish slept in her van.

Trish you will be forever missed, admired, and loved. You set a high bar for climbing, compassion, inclusivity, and friendship.

^ Trish enthusiastically demonstrating the properties of friction on stately pleasure :)


^ Trish at the top of after 6 (or 7, can't remember) in the valley. This was my first climb in the valley.

I first met Trish while on an SCMA trip to Red Rock, NV. Trish took me under her wing and asked me to climb Tunnel Vision with her. I had an absolute blast! So much so that I asked her to mentor me and from that point on, Trish invited me to climb with her in the Valley, Tuolumne, and J-Tree. As time went by and I started to feel confident enough to lead on my own, our mentorship faded but she became an outstanding friend. She often called me to talk about life and like a mom she always asked if I was well or had a girlfriend or at least a new partner for climbing. Trish taught me that there are many good reasons to mentor new climbers and to turn mentees into friends when they come into their own. Trish always greeted old and new friends with hugs and her infectious laughter. That's how it went the last time I saw her, hugs and laughter.

Cheers my friend, you'll be missed and never forgotten.

^ Trish on Crescent Ledge, Fairview Dome (Regular Route), Tuolumne Meadows.

Our family is blown away by this outpouring of love and respect for Trish.  @Pam Neal, that a route has been named in her honor leaves us speechless.  We want the climbing community to know that following a family service for Trish back in Michigan at the end of June, we will be having a service for her in the Modesto area where her ashes will be spread.  I'll be representing the family then but I'll leave it to Steven Sauter, President of the SCMA (her climbing club) to determine that location.  I'll be working with him to coordinate this memorial,  More information to follow.  Thank you to all who have reached out directly to myself and my family during this trying time.  

Andrey Romaniuk wrote: I've met Trish through MP Forum, looking for a partner before my first trip to Yosemite in 2012. We've climbed in the valley and lived great days among the rocks. Our paths crossed again in the middle of a route at Pine Creek Canyon in 2013. She was a unique human being, spreading good vibrations around the Universe.

Thanks for sharing, Andrey. That was a good day on the CPF.   She was such a good soul, and spread that joy to all the folks she met.  

I forgot about that photo.... Makes me smile!

I am grieving the loss of my beautiful friend and colleague, Trish, in a rappelling accident last weekend. She was doing what she loved most in the world up in Yosemite. She was brave, brash, funny, smart, and loved everyone she came in contact with. She gave the BEST hugs. She was a living, breathing example of a life lived abundantly and joyfully. She is one of the few people who gets what it means to serve the "least of these" on a deep, deep level. In fact, she walked away from a lucrative career as an architect to build houses for others all over the world with Habitat for Humanity for many years while living very simply herself. Together, we founded The H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Everywhere) Project this year and took students on a number of service learning trips. We are currently planning to build a house in Mexico in July for a family in need. I'd like to thank our friends and family and ESPECIALLY the climbing community for your support of this project. Our students and I are determined to see this project to completion and honor the life and legacy of an angel here on earth.

Trish Stoops was the epitome of a true ambassador not only to the SCMA but to the climbing community. It is a great loss. I am in disbelief, and I will miss you friend.

I feel like I just got slapped in the face. Trish?

She's stayed here at our house and climbed with us on Sonora Pass. Such high energy. Any climb was a good climb.

I'd lost track of her over the last two years. I last saw her up at Burst Rock, on the next tier of rock below. She was helping with some first ascents on great rock. We traded some banter, yelling back and forth.