Our annual tribute to the community members we’ve lost in the past year
Updated Jan 16, 2025 – Climbing.com
My cmnt: Free Soloing is a high risk sport. Those who continue to free solo long enough will eventually fall to their deaths. It is not really a matter of “if” but “when”. Alex Honnold is now married and he and Sanni have two young girls. Honnold has spoken much on this topic. He has quit the very risky soloing for the time being. He has stated that he approaches difficult climbs with severe preparation, training and planning. He is NOT addicted to the rush of climbing though of course he enjoys it very much. Those addicted to the rush will all eventually die climbing if they do not stop.
My cmnt: Most elite athletes do not know when they should give up their sport. Actual playing tells them. They just can no longer do what they once did. A severe injury or simply being cut from the team tells them. However with free solo what tells you absolutely that you need to stop climbing is falling to your death.
At the start of each year, we compile this tribute to climbers who passed away the year prior. This year’s list includes 36 climbers, ranging in age from 21 to 96. Some died of natural causes, among family and friends. Others lost their lives in accidents involving free soloing, rappelling, avalanches, and falls on the world’s greatest alpine faces. One was killed fighting in Ukraine, while others were involved in accidents that could happen to anyone, climber or not.
Some were famous for their accomplishments, having established new routes in places like Leavenworth, Eldorado Canyon, El Potrero Chico, Greenland, the Georgian Caucasus, and Pakistan. They competed on the international sport climbing circuit, produced award-winning mountain films, revolutionized portaledge technology, and were young yet highly accomplished alpinists. One was an active Yosemite Search and Rescue member. Another founded the Access Fund.
Many of the climbers remembered here were fixtures in their local communities. They were guidebook authors and route developers, mountain guides and avalanche forecasters, gym owners and climbing shoe reps. They were neuropsychopharmacologists, musicians, lawyers, contractors, writers, photographers, computer programmers, inventors, digital nomads, fathers, a mother, and friends.
We want to thank everyone—friends, family, partners—who contributed obituaries this year. We also want to acknowledge that, despite our best efforts, this list is almost certainly incomplete. If there is a climber who should be added, please reach out to us at queries@climbing.com. And for anyone experiencing a loss, we recommend visiting the American Alpine Club’s Climbing Grief Fund.
Creating this list is always both somber and reflective, reminding us of the dangers inherent in our sport, our rich history, and our strong community. Please be safe out there.
—Anthony Walsh and Maya Silver
The Climbers We Lost in 2024
- Matt Richard
- Matt Primomo
- David Breashears
- TM Herbert
- Neil Cannon
- Adam George
- Álvaro Peiró
- Ted Wilson
- Johnny Goicoechea
- Rob Coppolillo
- Robbi Mecus
- Lhakpa Tenji Sherpa
- Burt Angrist
- Martin Feistl
- Lee Hansche
- Daniel Frandson
- Stewart M. Green
- John Middendorf
- Keita Kurakami
- Javier Botella de Maglia
- Archil Badriashvili
- Sergey Nilov
- Dave Rearick
- Tony Sartin
- Chris Jones
- Stewart Porter
- Francesco Favilli
- Filippo Zanin
- Bob Williams
- Michael Gardner
- James Christopher Gay
- Maksym Petrenko
- Armando Menocal
- Ondrej Húserka
- Mark Chapman
- Kurt Blair
Lord Buckbeak: "Will you come into my parlor?," said the Spider to the Fly. 