Colorado climber Michael Gardner has died. The American alpine climber sadly fell to his death while attempting to scale a mountain in Nepal. He was 32.
According to Climbing Magazine, the mountain climber fell on Jannu East in Nepal's Kanchenjunga region on Monday, Oct. 7. His climbing partner Sam Hennessey was with him. It was Gardner's second attempt at climbing the mountain's north face. Gardner's sponsor, clothing company Arc'teryx, mourned him.
"We knew Mike as everyone's favorite person. [Gardner] was curious and loving. He had a smile and way about him that drew you in. He loved sharing knowledge and truly engaging in human interaction," the Arc'teryx tribute read. "A skateboarder, skier, climber, enthusiastic skijorer, writer and mountain guide, he refused to be boxed in by any label and pursued anything that intrigued him."
"His motivations were pure; to push the boundaries of sport, and do it with ethics, style and homage to those who came before," Arc'teryx continued. "Mike was an optimist who lived a big, bold life. A life we were honored to witness and be a part of. His legacy will be everlasting through the souls he touched and the limits he refused to acknowledge. We send our love and support to Mike's friends, family and loved ones."
Colorado Climber Michael Gardner Dies
Meanwhile, Olympic snowboarder, Elena Hight, also shared a tribute to Gardner on Instagram.
"We fell in love fast," she wrote. "Faster than either of us realized. Not the lusty type of love though, the deep soul connection type. A kind of love that felt so true and real and other worldly I often asked with complete sincerity, where did you come from?"
"At first we called our meet ups Neverland. Because no matter where we were it felt like magic," she continued. "As we were able to spend more time together Neverland became a life we were just beginning. While we weren't hiding it we didn't broadcast it either. It somehow felt more potent to hold onto the magic as it unfolded for us and just be."
Atomic Skis, an equipment company, also mourned Gardner as well.
"Every interaction with him felt like a gift, and his love and passion for the mountains were truly infectious," the company wrote. "His accomplishments on skis and on the mountains speak for themselves — he was the ultimate downhill mountaineer."
