Arches Accident

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Seamstress

Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 12, 2017 - 10:53pm PT
I am trying to get some information about an accident March 5 in Arches. My friend, John Peterson, died in a climbing accident. I know that he was with his wife and some students from the college where he taught computer science. John was key to securing Mother's Buttress.

I hate to intrude on the family at this time. But if anyone has information, there are a collection of old friends that would really like to know.
thebravecowboy

climber
The Good Places
Mar 12, 2017 - 10:59pm PT
I owed that fellow at least a round or two of cold snacks. so sorry to head of this.
BruceHildenbrand

Social climber
Mountain View/Boulder
Mar 13, 2017 - 01:51am PT
No details on the accident but a nice summary of his life.

https://www.gunnisontimes.com/obituaries/john-peterson
Bad Climber

Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
Mar 13, 2017 - 06:11am PT
Oh, no. This man seemed liked an incredible individual. Condolences to friends and family. He fell somehow on Royal Arches?

BAd
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Mar 13, 2017 - 06:15am PT
Arches N.P.?
crankster

Trad climber
No. Tahoe
Mar 13, 2017 - 06:37am PT
Sorry to hear about your friend...try the e-mail address here:

John Peterson Memorial:
The memorial service for John Peterson will be held this Saturday, March 11th at 2pm in the Western State Colorado University Center Ballroom.
There will be a tribute site, email grhaynes@western.edu for information about how to share your JP stories and photos.
JP wasn't big on flowers, religion, or lots of sentimental stuff. In lieu of flowers, please consider one of these organizations to donate to:
JP was very active with the Access Fund. Memorial to the Access Fund would be deeply appreciated:
https://www.accessfund.org/
yanqui

climber
Balcarce, Argentina
Mar 13, 2017 - 07:08am PT
I don't know any specifics about the accident, but a friend who worked with him shared the following link with the comment "This is an amazing collection of Tributes to John. If you would like to contribute email Greg Haynes ( grhaynes@western.edu )".

http://www.western.edu/academics/undergraduate/computer-science/memoriam-professor-john-peterson
Brian in SLC

Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
Mar 13, 2017 - 07:32am PT
Rumor has an accident at Looking Glass, south of Moab.

I didn't know John, but, a gob of friends did. One of the "wreck climbing" crew.

Condolences to friends and family.
Seamstress

Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 13, 2017 - 09:19am PT
Still no word on what he was doing at the time of the accident. Big heart. Infectiously enthusiastic.
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Mar 13, 2017 - 01:44pm PT
hey there say, seamstree... :( very sad to hear this, as to the loss
of your dear friend...

oh my... hoping that all this help
here, will get more info for you, that you...


prayers for the family and loved ones that must
now go on, without him, :(


thank you to folks for the links,
so we could learn about all he did for others...
and for climbers...

edit: i just got to read the link--

it was nice to learn this about him--as his life
over-reached to so many folks-- folks he'd never
know, that would benefit, due to his actions:
He was a big supporter of the Access Fund, which helps to keep access open to areas for hiking, skiing, boating, and rock climbing,
phylp

Trad climber
Upland, CA
Mar 13, 2017 - 02:20pm PT
I am sorry for your loss, Seamstress, and off my condolences to his friends and family.
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Mar 13, 2017 - 02:40pm PT
Wow, bummer.
I remember interacting with John on Connecticut climbing;
probably in the rec.climbing days.
I knew he was at Yale, but didn't know at the time that
the word haskell in his domain name was the language Haskell.
Must be very tough for his wife and kids.
SC seagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab, A sailboat, or some time zone
Mar 13, 2017 - 04:20pm PT
Looking Glass? Arches?
I've been out in Moab since the first of the month and haven't heard about any accidents.
Doesn't mean it didn't happen here but I haven't come across anything.
If I hear anything I'll post up.

Susan
Ken M

Mountain climber
Los Angeles, Ca
Mar 13, 2017 - 08:59pm PT
I'm sad that I did not have the opportunity to meet such a fine person.

Condolences to all.
EricCPeterson

Trad climber
Scottsdale
Mar 21, 2017 - 05:01pm PT
According to my mother he got entangled in the rope while rappelling and was strangled. No gear failures, just made the poor decision to rap on a tangled rope, screwed up while trying to fix it, and got it around his neck.

He had six students with him, but they weren't in position to try and lift him up or cut him down in time, and had to be rescued themselves by the Moab mountain rescue team.

Can't really give more detail since I wasn't there myself, just what I've heard.
WBraun

climber
Mar 21, 2017 - 05:04pm PT
Holy Cow !!!!!
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Mar 21, 2017 - 05:30pm PT
hey there say, ...

:(

Mad69Dog

Ice climber
Mar 21, 2017 - 05:40pm PT
So sorry to hear this. I met John through rec.climbing and spent a little time with him talking about dreams, routes and dream routes. Rest in peace. Condolences to his friends and family.
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
Mar 21, 2017 - 05:47pm PT
Oh no not a freak thing . . . A rappelling thing. . , ?
This is so far from what one would think!
OH no' not this man, he was so . . . . All of us . . . .
what we all want to be - all the time. . . He Was' !
So frantic a story what went wrong ?! On a twisted tangled rope ? Strangled?
All of us have lost a mentor a steward and supporter of our drive to climb.
For all his family & friends, , there are N0 W0RDs. . . .
Blessings and thoughts of love and peace.



. . . . . . . .




this is just gutting, so amazingly sad. . . I thought for sure a fall but apparently
JP strangled while trying to attend to a tangled line?!

He was primarily a genius

His Yale days here in Ct are legend. . .





,

















!! ??
. . . . these tributes are from.

http://www.western.edu/academics/undergraduate/computer-science/memoriam-professor-john-peterson



Amazing the number and levels of strata that JP touched deeply


I can't stand the in-escape able inconsistency of this loss.
as are so many of us, John was in charge, "in his element" more than
doing what he loved he needed to share the energy the intangible with people
The wonder and sparkle in others eyes as they came into JPs gaze,
fed each ,
making a life long, beyond the rope, bond.

of this loss. . . . ?
Pulling up a long heavy rap line is the choice of older climbers.
When I was young I might have rap'd to above a rope tangle
and tied off. Clipped in, hung,
Then added (2-4+ )slings / aid'rs ( prussic/klimhiest -y ? - stand in 2 of those).
Then, pull up the rope to clear the tangled line.
I learned at a very young age the limits of wrapping a rope around my limbs, or body
but I'm so much smaller than JP.
I'm sure his head was three moves ahead of the immediate problem that seemed tame, and common place.
It is a great loss
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Mar 21, 2017 - 05:58pm PT
That's...strange. Having a pretty hard time understanding that one...
Messages 1 - 20 of total 32 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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