A Tribute to Three of the Best

Super bummed to hear about to loss of @davidlama_official, @hansjoergauer, and @jessroskelley. There's really no other way to put it. Three of the best alpinists in the world lost in one unfortunate accident. Condolences to the families and the whole community of climbers who've tied in with each of them.

It was a heart wrenching day in the alpine community. I never got to climb with @davidlama_official @jessroskelley @hansjoergauer but many of my teammates here on Everest did. And I, like so many of us, have been inspired as their climbs pushed our sport forward, and their goodness permeated our climbing community. There was nothing to do today but light butter lamps in blessing, share stories, and be good to each other. Love and energy to their families, friends and teammates

To die, you have to be born and that could be even enough.
But there are people who besides being born decide to grow up choosing that they will live intensely, spending all their energy to give substance to their dreams and even more, to transform their passion and their dreams as an aim of their existence and subsistence.
They have sought and found their completeness by taking this decision, their happiness, their balance and the reason for which it is worth waking up every morning and lying down tired, happy and motivated in the evening.
No man would ever give up happiness and no mountaineer would ever stop going to the mountains, in this oasis of freedom, to please those who do not understand and would like you to be at home, as a spectator. Every climber always does everything possible to protect the precious gift of life, every foresight is directed primarily to his own safety and only in second place, to action. But man is part of Nature, he is not its' ruler and creator and accepts from the beginning that skill, experience, tricks, and prudence may not be enough to cancel the risks and avoid even the worst. But we can decide whether to exist only to live, or to live trying to make sense of the gift and the luck of having existed.
I lose three friends, the world loses three protagonists and mentors of a respectful, healthy life with a smile.
They were living the path of their existence in their own way. Crying their passing is human and necessary, tears often furrow our cheeks and refresh our soul and our sensitivity. But every time I lose loved ones, friends and colleagues, I always want to react with action, rather than breaking down.
Their passion and their values are the same that animate many of us alive, and their skill and integrity must be the fuel to react and take on their teachings. In other words, our backpacks must also be filled with their human baggage, narrating them must help us who have loved and known them, to live and act in a better way and that we are still living the journey of life intensely, just like our three brothers that have passed.
Ciao Hansjörg, David, and Jess, your climb continues...

No one will ever know the reason for this.
A few other times I felt so sad when the mountain takes away some souls. It's really hard for me.
I ask myself some questions, I am thinking about the future, but in the deep of my heart, I know what it meant to you and therefore I can only be grateful for the time spent together, for the laughs, the chat, and the parties.
I will always admire your courage...the courage to live your dreams!
RIP

The mountain gives us everything and in a second it takes everything away from us; although it is difficult to understand, it is where we want to be. I am extremely sorry for the loss of David Lama, Hansjörg Auer and Jess Roskelley. I would love to have shared an expedition with them; in fact, lately I have been following David Lama's adventures with a lot of admiration and a desire to share some experience together.
Three talented and experienced young climbers, without a doubt a great loss for mountaineering. My condolences to families and friends. They will never be forgotten. Respect and all my admiration. See you on the mountain, friends.

Some things are always out of our hands. As pro mountaineers we somehow manage to live with the bitter realities of this profession. But there are news that pierce through your heart and mark it permanently. The three missing mountaineers were no doubt a great asset of our community and the gap they created can never be bridged. My heartiest condolences to the family and friends of the missing climbers.
Rest in peace David Lama, Jess Roskelley and Hansjorg Auer

There are some days in which, even for a mountaineer, turn the look towards the mountains is very difficult and painful. The heart beats suffocated by sadness and we wonder the sense of what we do. Today is one of those days. One of those where you would never want to get out of bed because you know that facing life will be harder. David Lama, Hansjorg Auer, and jess roskelley are gone. Last time we sat at a table all together to discuss mountaineering and future projects was in zermatt, last November. I remember David and his question: " what do you think the climbs of the future? Those "outstanding"? had started so a long hours discussion and finished at 3 am at the hotel bar. In front of me David and hansjorg, two incredibly gifted guys, motivated, strong and a thousand dreams to be Today unfortunately there are only those dreams, the climbs we talked about and so much, so much sadness Mountaineering is once again in mourning.
To friends and families my deepest condolences.

We all go to the mountains because there is some innate part of being human that seeks challenge and there is endless challenge to be found in our wild places. I've always seen mountains as a blank canvas that lets me be an artist by choosing my unique path when amongst them. It's freedom in its purest and most simple form. But, like many things in life, what you originally set out to do isn't always where you end up. It's the unexpected adventures along the way that create the true magic. There's so much more to this passion than just the climb or the ski, there are the human connections created along this journey that have been some of the deepest and most profound friendships of my life. There is also tragedy. The mountains are both majestic and fierce. They give so much and they take so much. It is with profound sadness, frustration and even anger that this week we have lost so much passion, kindness, ingenuity and unadulterted talent with the passing of these three human beings.
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My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of David Lama, Hansjörg Auer and Jess Roskelley. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

I don't find words for the loss of our friends. Thankful that I had the opportunity to spend great times in the mountains with Hansjörg. All my thoughts are with the familys and friends of Hansjörg, David and Jess. Be free!

David Lama. Hansjörg Auer. Jess Roskelley. Thee visionaries, who brought light into the alpinism world were lost in an avalanche. The shadow of their loss is big among people who love mountains but the bright they created and has inspired many of us will continue to fill.
Condolences to the families and friends

It hurts to feel the crushing magnitude of losing people you not only really care about, but also that are such iconic figureheads of our community. 
My heart breaks and I am praying for the direct family members and loved ones involved. 
Jess was one of the most driven, positive, humble, goofy, and kind friends. He accomplished daunting mountains with a smile and inspiring ability to encourage you to see no limits, too.
Despite the magnitude of his accomplishments, he wasn’t “above” anyone. He was a genuine, radical guy and husband to an equally inspiring, kickass woman, 
David Lama- who in our direct community doesn’t have a story...? Soft spoken, genuine BADASS. Footsy
It’s been some time since the three of us hung out together but I will never forget how you have always been the number one climber I have looked up to’s career...the childhood prodigy turned all-rounded mountain climbing technician. He was the guy that could probably come back from a long expedition and still fire 5.14’s like he never left the gym. 
Hansjorg; an Austrian legend, 
I didn’t know you as personally so well but man, your accomplishments were so damn legendary. 
It’s so hard for me to wrap my mind around this except for the fact that the mountains are at once beautiful and merciless. 
These guys knew what they were doing in the mountains. They were straight legends. That’s what is terrifying to me. It doesn’t matter who you are or what your resume is: extremely unlucky circumstances can still happen.

I first heard about David Lama at a youth world climbing championship in Edinburgh , Scotland. We were competing in the same age category and there was alot of hype behind him as being a child climbing prodigy. He stunned us all by effortlessly floating the finals route and winning the comp. David kept to this competition path and won the 2008 lead WC overall, 2007 European bouldering champs, and took bronze at the 2009 Lead World Champs in Xining. I had the pleasure to compete with David, but also share many outdoor experiences with him. Right after I graduated high school I moved to Innsbruck, Austria for a year where David was one of my main climbing partners. He showed me Zillertal, we bouldered in Swiss, we raged at night in innsbruck Haha. I always was impressed with his talent in climbing and his approach to it. David did what he wanted to do and what sounded fun in the moment. David later came to the US and stayed with my family and I in CO for a few weeks. He flew with his trad rack, alpine gear, bouldering gear... Haha he was prepared for anything. After that trip we stayed in touch but David showed more of an interest for climbing in the alpine where I stayed with the blocs. He ended up using that talent of his by doing so many remarkable ascents in the mountains (tons of ascents that were out there bold... dude was confident and brave). I haven't spoken to David in a few years but wish I was better with staying in touch. I just read that David, Hansjorg Auer, and Jess Roskelley passed away in an avalanche while attempting to climb the east face of Howse Peak in Alberta, Canada. The other 2 alpinists were also legends along with David. I did not know them like I knew David but knew of what they did in the climbing world. It's weird to lose a friend but I know he went doing what he loved. I will forever remember you David Lama aka Footsy. RIP