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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Very sad news. My condolences to his loved ones.
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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I'd hazard a guess that Doug Tompkins has preserved more wild land than any other private individual in world history.
Doug and Kristine have been truly wonderful, but I'd guess John D. Rockefeller Jr. might be in the top position, especially if you view his influence as extending to his son Laurance. They have twenty national parks to their credit.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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My condolences to all of Doug's family and friends.
A tragic loss.
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Todd Gordon
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
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so sorry to hear this. Hope his work and spirit will continue down in s. america.
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pyro
Big Wall climber
Calabasas
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Sorry..
RIP Doug
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couchmaster
climber
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We're all going to checking out ...all too soon for many of us. But what a legacy Doug left. Wow, a life well lived indeed.
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Damo
climber
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Sad news, but a wonderful life, to be celebrated and appreciated.
Doug probably never got the credit he deserved for this route in Antarctica, the central couloir on the west face of Mt Shinn, climbed in 1985 with YC. Everyone else went off to bag Vinson but they turned left and went for something better.
In correspondence not so long ago it was clear that for Doug this was ancient history, barely worth noting. He'd since moved on to more important things, things that so many will benefit from for generations to come.
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zBrown
Ice climber
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Very sad and freakish. He apparently died from hypothermia after his craft overturned in 39 degree water.
Tompkins was on General Carrera Lake in Patagonia in southern Chile with a group of five others when his kayak flipped and he fell into the icy waters, the Aysen regional health service said in a statement. Local media reported that he was knocked over by a strong wave.
The service said he was admitted around 1:30 p.m. to the regional hospital in Coyhaique, some 1,140 miles (1,832 km) south of Santiago, but was pronounced dead of severe hypothermia hours later.
Tompkins' body temperature was 66 degrees Fahrenheit (19 degrees Celsius) after being taken out of the water, the statement said. All five of his companions were unharmed.
Read more at Reutershttp://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-dougtompkins-idUSKBN0TS08Z20151209#ZYHdhoml3kf3TtGE.99
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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More horrible news. He was a larger-than-life figure when I started climbing, and turned his money and his energy into a legacy for the world. Rest in peace, good sir!
John
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mountain girl
Trad climber
Berkeley, CA
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So sorry to hear this. It is a huge loss. My thoughts go out to his family and friends.
Ingrid
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oldtimer
climber
Concord,CA
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Wow what a shock. I used to kayak with Doug and Royal Robbins in the late seventies and early eighties. Doug was always a daredevil that swam more nasty rapids than anyone else i ever saw. I remember one class five rapid on the trinity river that he ran got stuck in a hole at the top of a long nasty rapid and then was immediately flushed into a nearby eddy. what luck. That was Doug. He had a huge ball to brain ratio that was unmatched.
He always brought great wine on any trip we did and we always teased him because he would drive in VW in boating shoes and would always kayak using Italian racing shoes. the we dubbed him the guy who drives in boating shoes and boats in driving shoes.
I remember once while waiting for a shuttle at the Wards Ferry Bridge on the Tuolumne river and he told me he just fired his top salesman (Esprit time). i asked why? He said cause the guy made more money than Doug made. I said "Doug are you an idiot?" you are supposed to pay salespeople as much as they can make cause that means they are selling a lot. He said "it's the principle" that was Doug.
He was the most driven man i ever met. What a loss.
Garry
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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This is so sad. Sorry to hear about your friend Jim and also to his friends and relatives. It sounds like he lived the dreams of most of us on here.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Monumental Loss...
Doug was an inspiration to so many and did so much good with his own success that he really has few peers.
Sincere condolences to his family and community of friends and good stewards.
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Trad climber
Will know soon
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A legacy left that his family, friends and loved ones can be proud of. Prayers of consolation for the grief of his loss.
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WBraun
climber
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That North face store in North beach on Broadway where it all started was so cool.
Downstairs was the climbing museum I believe it was.
I still have vivid memories of the place.
RIP Doug .....
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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I still remember the old store too and Doug as a young man.
I think I first heard about his conservation activities from Yvon when he and Malinda were visiting Nepal.
I have been very fortunate to know people like Doug who really made a difference in our world.
Condolences to his family and friends.
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velvet!
Trad climber
La Cochitaville
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Doug was pivotal in helping me get my first expedition off the ground.
"Show up at 5 and I'll fly you in to this objective I want climbed."
We never got the weather window but he let us stay in his amazing guest house on his Vodudahue Ranch...
http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201213152
Controversial, yes. But he definitely had an immense love for Patagonia and it's surrounding wilderness.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
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So sad to hear that one of the original four 'Fun Hogs' has passed.
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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What a wonderful legacy the man left for the human race.
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