Funny that one of the first few posts here is of skiing on the first snow of the 2006/07 season. It snowed to the valley floor on the night of Thursday, September 21st and created havoc in many Jackson areas. Many of the leaves are still on the aspen trees and the weight of a couple inches of wet, heavy snow caused many trees to topple.I have been angry for several days after learning about Steve Romeo death in an avalanche at Ranger Peak. Yesterday morning as I prepared to head out to Mores Creek Summit for a short tour, I voiced to a close friend my anger about Steve's avalanche, and about other avalanche deaths involving very experienced folks during the last two years. A day earlier - Friday, was no better ... I could not stop thinking about Steve as I attempted to get on with corporate work.
I was never fortunate enough to meet this extraordinary individual, but he greatly influenced me. The TetonAT blog was a new concept, it brought together the BC Ski community. Mores Creek Summit Blog was the result of a discussion with Janet Kellam during National Avalanche School in 2007. We were impressed by Steve's prolific posting during Teton AT 2006-2007 first season. But I also noticed how his writing was empowering our community of backcountry skiers. Steve Rome legacy is that he brought our community closer together!
Today I was just sad. I shed tears for a man I never met. Later in the day I remembered this quote:
" Hay hombres que luchan un día y son buenos. Hay otros que luchan un año y son mejores. Hay quienes luchan muchos años y son muy buenos. Pero hay los que luchan toda la vida: esos son los imprescindibles. - Bertolt Brecht "English Translation:
"There are men who fight for a day and are good. There are others who fight for a year and are better. There are those who fight many years and are very good. But there are those who fight all of their lives. These are the ones who are irreplaceable."Steve you are irreplaceable. I will miss you postings, your leadership, and how you reminded us about the magical world to be found in the mountains. I know that many readers of Mores Creek Blog share my sentiment.
We all know the passion Steve Romeo had for couloir skiing. Yesterday as I toured the 12th mile creek drainage I could not stop wondering how much fun Steve Romeo would have had given the opportunity to ski the granite features of this mini-area in our own backyard - Mores Creek Summit. On this posting the authors of Mores Creek Blog ask for permission to the Boise-Idaho BC skiing community to name the 12th Mile Creek area after Steve Romeo.
Please post your comments with naming ideas, or suggestions about how to celebrate Steve Romeo's Life.
Steve Romeo Ridge at Mores Creek Summit |