a life well lived

This past weekend I, along with an endless list of friends, lost someone very close to us. Doing what he loved to do (climb), Dallas was near the summit of one of the east peaks in the Pleiades, near Mt Larrabee when a the rock he grabbed ahold of broke free. Climbers that were with Dallas, told me (as the media has also reported) that he fell nearly 300 feet. Survival from a fall of that magnitude is said to be unlikely.

Kloke has climbed in the North Cascades for more than 50 years and shared his experiences with many. A couple of years ago he led me up Liberty Bell and talked me through the entire trip. Not to mention he created just about route on Anacortes' Mt. Erie and wrote a guide book, "Rockin' on the Rock".

Dallas has been a dear friend of mine for the past 7 years as we have shared our adventures, coached track and field together and encouraged one another in our Christian faith. I am still coping with the realization that he has gone to see our maker. And yet, it is also a very comforting thought. He always had his eyes focused on God's eternal kingdom, just as in the picture above, he loved to live and lived to love in all the activities that he was involved in. His motto, "When the going gets tough, the tough gets going," will carry on and his passion for life has no doubt impacted many.

I can hear God saying to Dallas as he entered into His presence, "Dallas, well done my good and faithful servant."

You will surely be missed.