Upward Call is my Appalachian Trail name. The Climber is my brother.
I am section hiking/slack packing the Appalachian Trail - i.e. as day hikes. I have been and am continuing to add photos and section descriptions of these hikes to this site on an ongoing basis, normally during the winter following....
Having retired several years ago, I am now able to cover several hundred miles of the trail during most summers (i.e. April - October).
The Climber grew up in the mountains of Virginia. Camping, hiking, bicycling, running and other outdoor activities were a part of his life as he grew up. Various family trips helped him develop a desire to travel as well.
At the age of 23, he made a cross-country bicycle trip from Lincoln City, Oregon to Hampton Beach, New Hampshire with a Mennonite group known as Outspokin'. He kept a hand written journal of this ride: Outspokin' Bicycle trip. To get to Oregon, he traveled by bus from Virginia. This ride - his first trip to the West - took him through the states of Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, and Washington on the way to Oregon. His journal of this part of the trip is at: Bus Trip.
After graduating from college in Virginia in his mid-20s, he moved to Colorado in order to be close to the Rocky Mountains. He began his career working as a computer programmer/software engineer. After a couple years there, he returned to Virginia to court, then marry his wife. After a couple years of marriage - in his late 20s, they moved to Colorado.
As time went on, his love for hiking led to a desire to climb all of Colorado's 54 mountain peaks with summits that are above 14,000 feet in elevation, called "Fourteeners". While many of these require technical rock climbing skills to reach the top, none of them require the use of ropes, pitons or the other tools associated with rock climbing. He kept a journal of these climbs: Colorado fourteeners.
He was making steady progress towards his goal of hiking all 54 of the Fourteeners. The 30th one was Capitol Peak, near Aspen. He and a group from his church along with some others reached Capitol Peak at 10:00 AM on a mid-August morning.
A section of the path crosses the 75 degree slope of sub-peak K2, one-half mile north of the summit of Capitol Peak. Descending at 12:00 PM, the group of seven were crossing this slope - three ahead of The Climber and three behind him. Without warning, the mountainside began to move, taking the Climber with it. In a few seconds time, he was dead (no one else was affected). More detail.
The text of the Memorial Service held for him in Colorado is at: Colorado Memorial Service. It includes comments about the day from several of those who were with The Climber. Included at the end of his Fourteener journal at Colorado fourteeners is an additional write-up of the day written by Walt H. who was the person closest to The Climber on the mountain at the time of his death. Excerpts from the Colorado Memorial Service pertaining to the events of the day are there also.
- Is this earth, its beauty, and the life on it the evolutionary result of time, matter, and chance - or was it put together by an intelligent designer/creator?
- Are dissatisfaction and unhappiness unavoidable - or is it possible to be content with who we are, what we have and with our abilities and capacities.
- Do we cease to exist when we die - or is there another life after this one?
- Is the pursuit of self-fulfillment in and through what we do all that life has to offer - or is there a God who has better (and never-ending) plans for us?
- Are we doomed to loneliness - or does God care about us, love us, and want to be our friend?
As you look through The Climber's journals, other quotes, and the things his surviving friends and family members have said about him, you will discover that he believed and lived by the things stated in the second part of each question above. His love of life, family, the outdoors, and God is evident. He would want everyone to know that the experiences/adventures of this life are not its real purpose, but rather that the decisions we make in this life determine where we will spend the life to come and also prepare us for it.
The Climber is now experiencing never-ending life and happiness with his Savior and Lord - Jesus Christ. For more information/help on how you can make the same decisions and preparations (for the life to come), use the Other Links on the Site Map.
At the age of 23, The Climber wrote: "Jesus is my best friend and I always want it so."
Five months before The Climber's death, he wrote this in a letter to immediate and extended family:
"Friends and family, let us press on toward the upward call of God in Christ. We never know how much longer we have on earth; let's do all we can to build up treasure in heaven and further God's kingdom while we have a chance. God bless you all."
I have two(2) brothers. The youngest one I've never met. I don't even know his name. He went to heaven before he was born (miscarriage - I was 19 - The Climber was 13.). The middle one, The Climber, lived his life as a believer in Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord. He "pressed on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14). His earthly pilgrimage is complete, God has taken him home.
We are a trio! I alone, the oldest am the only one remaining on this earth. But when my pilgrimage is complete, I will join my brothers in heaven and the three of us - the trio - will be together for the first time.
I know The Climber was ready to meet his Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ and is in heaven with Him. We (his family members) all likewise know Jesus and look forward to our arrival in heaven and reunion with The Climber (and others) who have gone on ahead - when our time comes. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones." Psalm 116:15
Walking in nature, climbing the high mountain,
Playing the piano, riding your bike, walking your dog,
Praying for others, your journal the final log,
Is that what Heaven is like for you?
We look forward to joining you, too.
Missed by Dad, Mom and family