James
"Kyle" Jefferies
Mt.
Stuart Memorial
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"Kyle, we scatter your ashes back to the earth from which all life has come. You can mingle with the flowing water, stir with the breezy air and night sky, and nestle in the rich brown warmth of the earth itself.... ...on Mt. Stuart where you achieved goals, and touched the sky. Let this height remind you of the awesome nature you have returned to..." |
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Kyle first climbed Mt. Stuart (9,415 ft) when he was 15 with Stephen and the Dunham and Staples families. He was on another trip a few years later but turned back with a friend when the weather looked bad. The group continued and made it to the summit. Kyle didn't forget. The next time he climbed with Stephen and they make it up and down in less than 10 hours, despite having forgotten most of their water! When Stephen suggested they consider turning back Kyle's only comment was "Don't stop until you reach the top!" On we went! |
| Lou Savidge offered to be a "Sherpa" for Toni (because she'd just had her collarbone pinned) and he carried in her backpack to the campsite before turning around and hiking back out. The route up the mountain is on the right side of the photo. |  |
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Louie, Omar, Chris, Devin, Toni, and Leah at campsite the evening before our climb. |
| Starting up the Cascadian Couloir about 7 am. Stephen, Toni, and Dave Read. |  |
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Devin making his way over the rocks just below the false summit. |
| Devin taking a well-earned rest close to the summit |  |
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It took about 6 hours of climbing from the base to the summit over loose rock. Everyone had to be on the lookout for rockfall set off by people higher up the mountain. |
| About 2 pm sitting on the summit. The north side drops off vertically from here. We held a short memorial and scattered some of Kyle's ashes so he could forever be with the mountains that he loved. |  |