Death on El Cajon Mountain, San Diego

https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/hikers-wife-adam-died-doing-his-favorite-thing-in-his-favorite-place

The story calls him a hiker, but Adam was a climber.  He will be missed.  

Very sad to hear this.  His wife's forward-looking reaction to the loss is inspirational.

Sounds like he may have been soloing?

Yeah I talked to some of the SAR and Helicopter Crew and they suspected he was soloing. At first everyone was only saying lost hiker, but after they found him they suspect a climbing fall.(this is all second hand of course) Or at least off trail difficult scrambling. Seemed likely to be fall injuries that led to death. Reportedly had no gear except a short rope with him.

RIP Adam.

My friend was on the SAR team that recovered his body. He said that Adam was likely on a route that was a mix of 3rd and 4th class scrambling with a 10a at the top. RIP Adam. I loved chatting with you about being teachers. You will be missed.

Alyssa Keene wrote:

My friend was on the SAR team that recovered his body. He said that Adam was likely on a route that was a mix of 3rd and 4th class scrambling with a 10a at the top. RIP Adam. I loved chatting with you about being teachers. You will be missed.

That sounds like the route Sleeping Giant.

So sorry to hear about this. Sending my condolences to his family and loved ones. 

Sad deal 

I offer my sincere condolences to Adam’s Family and Friends.

RIP

This is so sad to read.

One news report states that he headed out at 9am that day - what have the temps been like in East County this past week?

Unless you’re doing some specific kind of heat exposure training, seems like an awfully hot place to climb in August.

Rest in peace, Adam.

B Donovan wrote:

This is so sad to read.

One news report states that he headed out at 9am that day - what have the temps been like in East County this past week?

Unless you’re doing some specific kind of heat exposure training, seems like an awfully hot place to climb in August.

Rest in peace, Adam.

90s+

B Donovan wrote:

This is so sad to read.

One news report states that he headed out at 9am that day - what have the temps been like in East County this past week?

Unless you’re doing some specific kind of heat exposure training, seems like an awfully hot place to climb in August.

Rest in peace, Adam.

Yeah it was a super hot week. I think it was 90-100° some of those days if I’m remembering correctly, our Van AC was not keeping up with it for sure. I worked a couple days(we volunteer in the park at the bottom of the mountain) but I worked like 7-12 and didn’t do anything hard after 9/10am because it was too hot. My wife hiked up a neighboring hill one day that week but she usually starts at 6 or 7am and is done by 9am before it gets too hot. The county routinely closes El Cajon mountain trails each year the day after he went missing, but I don’t think those climbing trails are official trails and as far as I know the closures are just a verbal warning due to heat. :/ It was just a super sad situation all around. 

Confirmed Sleeping Giant

https://www.climbing.com/people/remembering-adam-shmidt/

ECM is becoming more deadly than Tah.

Tradiban wrote:

ECM is becoming more deadly than Tah.

And it ain’t even ECM’s fault :-(