Boulder Canyon Fatal Accident

Boulder County Sheriff press release 

https://bouldercounty.gov/news/fallen-climber-found-deceased/

RIP

I am the victim’s partner, and found him deceased. I will post an accident report in full when I am able to. If you knew him please feel free to message me with any climbing tales you may have. What it tells me is that no matter the experience a misstep can be fatal. 
https://gofund.me/af46e7e9

Sarah Z wrote:

I am the victim’s partner, and found him deceased. I will post an accident report in full when I am able to. If you knew him please feel free to message me with any climbing tales you may have. What it tells me is that no matter the experience a misstep can be fatal.
https://gofund.me/af46e7e9

I'm so so sorry Sarah.  I hope you are holding together and have your support system around you.

My deepest condolences Sarah. 

I only climbed with Mark a couple of times, but he was so motivated and knowledgeable. His passion for being in the mountains was contagious. His light shined so bright. He will be deeply missed. I'm so sorry for your loss Sarah. 

Sarah Z wrote:

I am the victim’s partner, and found him deceased. I will post an accident report in full when I am able to. If you knew him please feel free to message me with any climbing tales you may have. What it tells me is that no matter the experience a misstep can be fatal.
https://gofund.me/af46e7e9

Terribly sorry for your loss Sarah.. I hope you can find peace eventually through these tough times.. take care of yourself

I met Marc when we were in college because we both loved to climb. He was a natural and being of the shorter variety like myself, I studied the way he approached the problem before him. He crushed and I benefited whenever we shared a rope. We climbed trad, sport, ice and crappy plastic problems on the college woody. After college we ended up a couple time zones apart but “Marky Love” was always game for an adventure when I’d roll through town or vice versa. Front Range, Red Rock, Yosemite or back in New England, there was always room for a quick couple pitches and few Dead songs on the road to the crag. Marc had a great head and could send the scary stuff when he felt the time was right. He was bold but calculated and was honest when he realized he might be pushing too far. To lose him in this way hurts in a way I didn’t expect. He had faced some demons, came back stronger and was glowing from his life with Sarah. Marc was a kind and humble man and the world was a better place with him in it. RIP Marky Love

Marc was my first real trad mentor and consistent climbing partner in Colorado. I met him from a post on mountain project as a budding noob. He was enthusiastic to share his knowledge and love of climbing, from showing me classic climbs in Eldorado Canyon to Summitting Devil's Tower together. Calm and calculated, I aspired to climb the way he did. No matter the objective, you could trust Marc to get it done. The last time I had the honor of roping up with him was to climb the Sharkstooth in RMNP; we had lovely weather and big smiles all day. I'll never forget it. Marc was a loving, caring person who gave a lot to the people around him. He will always be a part of my climbing psyche, and I will miss him greatly, as I know everyone who had the privilege to climb with him will. Love you man, RIP. 

Marc and me on the summit of Devil's Tower

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At approximately 3:15 Marc Horan went to grab a coke can that had escaped our group. I headed down trail and together we scrambled up the pile of rocks circled in yellow. Marc visualized the can, and I scrambled right and up stating “meet you up there, this area is kind of slick.” I scrambled up and around the top of this formation,  heard what I thought at the time to be a car door slamming and in retrospect it was the sound of Marc striking the ground. After approximately 5 minutes when he did not appear, I commented to a member of the group that he was past the expected time and I went to search him. He was wearing a red coat, and I visualized that he was likely deceased after calling his name with no response. I saw that he had struck a rock with an approximate 20 foot fall. He had no carotid pulse, our group was 4 adults(including Marc) and two younger children at this time. I called to another group member SOS, and she activated her Garmin to dispatch EMS at that time. I brought both children down to the base while the remaining two adults began chest compressions. He was pronounced deceased when SAR arrived. Marc was an extremely experienced climber with nearly 30 years of climbing experience under his belt. He frequently would stop in Eldo for an afternoon to do laps on the wind tower, an accomplished aid climber, multipitch cruiser, simul climbing, and offwidth princess, Marc did it all. We will never know what caused the fall, but I know he absolutely died doing what he loved. We had a love unlike anything I have ever known. I would pontificate more, but I’m shattered. denver7.com/news/front-rang…

So sorry for your loss Sarah.
I hope everyone effected find the peace and healing they need.

Please accept my condolences.  I am very sorry for your loss.  

Very, very sorry for your loss, Sarah.

Justin Preisendorfer wrote:

I met Marc when we were in college because we both loved to climb. He was a natural and being of the shorter variety like myself, I studied the way he approached the problem before him. He crushed and I benefited whenever we shared a rope. We climbed trad, sport, ice and crappy plastic problems on the college woody. After college we ended up a couple time zones apart but “Marky Love” was always game for an adventure when I’d roll through town or vice versa. Front Range, Red Rock, Yosemite or back in New England, there was always room for a quick couple pitches and few Dead songs on the road to the crag. Marc had a great head and could send the scary stuff when he felt the time was right. He was bold but calculated and was honest when he realized he might be pushing too far. To lose him in this way hurts in a way I didn’t expect. He had faced some demons, came back stronger and was glowing from his life with Sarah. Marc was a kind and humble man and the world was a better place with him in it. RIP Marky Love

Nice. Powerful, beautiful words.

So deeply sorry for you Sarah Z.  He'll always be there beside you, he'll live in you.

Marc was a great guy and climbing partner. I'm very sorry for your loss, Sarah.

Reach out your hand, if your cup be empty
If your cup is full, may it be again
Let it be known there is a fountain
That was not made by the hands of men

Ripple in still water
When there is no pebble tossed
Nor wind to blow

Sarah, again, so sorry for your loss and thank you for sharing your account of the accident. That cannot have been easy to revisit.

This time of year especially, that kind of terrain can be dirty and loose and unexpected things can happen. This accident is a sad reminder that almost any terrain in climbing presents potentially life-altering/ending risks, even for the most experienced among us.

Best wishes for Marc’s family and friends in this terrible time.

To Sarah,  and to all his friends and family,  I add my sincere condolences, Eric. 

I am so sorry to hear of your loss and this terrible experience, Sarah. I didn’t know Marc outside of a few brief interactions at the gym, but he always seemed like a kind guy. My sincere condolences to Marc’s family and friends. 

https://kdvr.com/news/local/avid-colorado-climber-remembered-as-passionate-adventurer-wonderful-human/

Sharing the GoFundMe link again:
https://gofund.me/af46e7e9