Hayden Kennedy: A Celebration of Accomplishments

by Brian Wright

Colorado Mountaineering was sickened to learn yesterday about the deaths of Hayden Kennedy and his partner/girlfriend Inge Perkins. 

Screenshot from an interview where Kennedy describes his
decision to chop bolts off the Compressor Route on
Cerro Torre in Patagoina

Hayden Kennedy was a living legend in my mind, and a climber I looked up to as someone I could only dream of emulating. I first met him when he was still a young teenager learning how to whitewater kayak. I was an instructor at the local whitewater paddling shop at the time, and remember being impressed by Hayden and his entire family. I never got to know Hayden very well. In fact, he probably wouldn't have remembered my name if I saw him on the street. But I remembered him and I always felt a bit in awe of his understated skills and humility.

I was very touched by a poignant article he wrote for eveningsends.com just a few weeks ago. I read it last night after hearing the news of this terrible sequence of events. Some of his incredibly well-written words are even more moving in retrospect, knowing what was looming unknown in his near future. His article can be read here.

The details of this tragedy have been reported on by numerous news outlets. One informative article can be found on Climbing Magazine's website. The purpose of this post, however, is to celebrate some of Kennedy's accomplishments and share a few videos that highlight his tremendous success and skill as a mountaineer and a person.

Kennedy and Kyle Dempster discussing their climb on the South Face of the Ogre in Pakistan for which they won the Piolets d'Or, the most prestigious award in climbing. (Note: Dempster also died in a climbing accident in 2016 on a remote mountain in China)

Hayden dropping some cliffs during a telemark extreme skiing championship


Hayden discusses his decision to cut bolts of the Compressor Route on Cerro Torre in Patagonia


I was not able to find a video of Hayden making the first ascent of Carbondale Shortbus in Indian Creek. The old video I had linked in several posts has since been taken down. I have however linked a video of Nick Martino working this route, so you can get an idea of the challenge and skill this project required.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit THE ARCHIVE: A list of most of our articles sorted by department

Copyright notice: This website and all its contents are the intellectual property of www.coloradomountaineering.com and its authors. None of the content can be used or reproduced without the approval of www.coloradomountaineering.com.
Climbing and mountaineering are dangerous!! Please see the DISCLAIMER page For information about how to contact us, visit this link

VIDEO: Boulder Woman Makes First Female Ascent of a Confirmed 5.15

This didn't take place in Colorado, but Boulderite Margo Hayes became the first woman to climb a confirmed 5.15 this year when she climbed Chris Sharma's mega-classic La Rambla. This short video is a teaser of that historic climbing moment.

 

NEWS: UPDATED More Tragedy, Couple Found Dead on Capitol Peak (8/22/2017)

The North Face of Capitol Peak, a mountain that has
claimed the lives of four mountaineers in just over a month

The extreme year for accidents in the Elk Range persists. A couple described as "in their mid to late 20's" were found dead on Capitol Peak today. The reports were mixed, some describing the location of the bodies as "near the summit" and others saying they were "at the base of the north face." Given the steepness and scale of this aspect of the mountain, these two reports would appear contradictory.

According to sources, the couple had "tentative plans" and many suspected they might have stayed longer than expected in the area to view Monday's eclipse. This confusion led to a lapse in reaction time in the search for the missing couple. Once it was clear they had not returned as planned, a search was mounted which led to the discovery of the bodies.

According to a press release by the Pitkin County Sheriff Department, witnesses on the mountain the day of the accident, which is thought to have occurred on Sunday, suggested the couple likely summited the mountain but may have decided to descend via a different route. Those familiar with Capitol Peak know that there is no viable route for descent besides the standard Northeast Ridge, especially without ropes.

Though the names of the deceased have not been officially released pending notification of next of kin, Aspen Public Radio is reporting that someone close to victims has released their names. You can find their article at this link.

This latest accident tops off what has been a grim, record-setting year for the Elk Range. Four climbers have been killed on Capitol Peak and an additional two have been killed on the Maroon Bells. These peaks, renowned for their beauty, are notoriously dangerous to climb and have proven fatal for many adventurers over the years.

A story published in January on Colorado Mountaineering analyzing the deaths on Colorado's 14ers since 2010 and showed that the Elk Range hosts an abnormal percentage of fatal accidents on Colorado's 14ers.

UPDATED (8/23/17) The deceased have been identified as Carlin Brightwell and Ryan Marcil. The couple was described as having dated for a number of months and recently moving in together. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of these victims.


RELATED HEADLINES

-Climber Dies on Capitol Peak (7/19/2017)
-Another Climber Killed on Capitol Peak (8/6/2017)
-Statistical Analysis of 14er Deaths this Decade (2010-2016)

Visit THE ARCHIVE: A list of most of our articles sorted by department

Copyright notice: This website and all its contents are the intellectual property of www.coloradomountaineering.com and its authors. None of the content can be used or reproduced without the approval of www.coloradomountaineering.com.
Climbing and mountaineering are dangerous!! Please see the DISCLAIMER page For information about how to contact us, visit this link