Climber remembered as outstanding friend
By Dan Ovsey for late Brent Raymond
Thursday, November 25, 2004
He lived and worked in Sabah for a total of 6 months over 2 seasons and having completed 10 ascents of the mountain, Brent is well suited for coordinating an expedition of this nature, - Kinabalu Mesilau - Low's Gully Expedition 2001. He has spent a total of 46 days on the mountain, half of which were spent exploring the summit plateaus and rock climbing. While working as the Outdoor Instructor / Mountaineering Coordinator at Outward Bound Sabah, he developed , marketed and instructed 2 staff training and 2 public courses in basic mountaineering and rock climbing skills.
Brent has been rock climbing and mountaineering for 8 years and has been working as an outdoor professional since 1994. Primarily involved in instructing extended wilderness expeditions (22-30 days), he has worked for Outward Bound in Canada, USA, Australia and Borneo and is currently an instructor at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in the USA.
Future plans include certification as an Assistant Alpine Guide with the ACMG. He is also interested in leadership opportunities within the ACC.
Brent has climbed and mountaineered all over the world including Canada, USA, Scotland, Borneo, Australia and Peru.
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Brent Raymond loved exploring.
As a child, he travelled the world with his Australian parents, and later backpacked his way through the terrain of Borneo, Mexico, Peru and Scotland.
Next summer he planned to make a lifelong commitment to Heather, the women he has called his wife and shared his life with for seven years, and buy a round-the-world plane ticket, taking off for yet another exciting travel adventure.
So it was with little or no reservation the 32-year-old Canmore resident had set out for an ice climb at the popular Carlsberg Column on Yoho National Park's Mount Dennis last Friday (Nov. 19).
Setting out early in the morning, Raymond and his friend Jesse de Montigny parked at the bottom of the mountain and began what should have been an eventless hike to the foot of the climb. They never reached their destination.
Following the beaten path, the pair travelled along an icy traverse when the unexpected occurred.
"It was easy climbing terrain, and I actually stopped to tie my boots," said de Montigny. "I walked a few more steps and looked back and saw Brent sliding back on his bum.
"He was sliding on ice, so there was no hope to (stop) or recover. He slid about 25 feet before falling over a 10-metre drop."
The certified mountain guide was only out of his climbing partner's sight for a moment when de Montigny heard the thump of Raymond landing on a steep slope, where he continued to slide through trees until coming to a halt.
When de Motigny reached his friend minutes later, he was unconscious, but still breathing.
"He was in pretty bad shape. The back of his helmet was destroyed and he obviously had major head trauma," he said, adding Raymond was bleeding from both the head and mouth. de Montigny tried in vain to call for help with his cell phone, and after covering Raymond with down jackets, raced back to the car and sped off to the Parks Canada Info Centre in Field, B.C.
Within minutes RCMP and park wardens were in motion, and de Montigny went back to the accident site to tend to his friend, whose condition had neither worsened nor improved.
"I just talked to him, there was nothing I could really do at that point," he said later, adding it didn't seem there was much hope for his friend.
On scene, there was little emergency services could do. Rescue choppers soon arrived to transport the victim to a landing pad in Lake Louise, where he received further treatment, and then eventually transferred him to Foothills Hospital in Calgary.
"To Brent's credit, for the injuries he had, he fought it really well... he lived for hours after those injuries," said de Montigny.
"It's a testament to his physical and mental health."
After driving Raymond's car back to his Canmore home, de Montigny received word that his friend had succumbed to his injuries in the first climbingrelated fatality in the mountain parks this winter.
Park Warden Percy Woods, who attended the scene, said there was nothing Raymond could have done to avoid his demise. The route, the weather, the terrain, all looked fine.
"It was a very unfortunate slip on an exposed traverse that led to the accident," said Woods, emphasizing that Raymond's death was not related to the perils of ice climbing, but rather to an act of nature.
After learning of his friend's death, de Montigny raced back to Calgary to comfort Raymond's wife Heather, who remained surprisingly composed, but whose spirit has withered since.
"With time she'll be okay, but it'll be a long road for her," said de Montigny.
Though he continues to replay the incident over in his mind, the young Canmore man knows there was nothing more he could have done to save his friend.
And while the tragic event was a strong reminder of the dangers climbers face on every excursion, de Montigny said he will not be deterred.
"Most people who get into these sports are aware of the risks they're taking," he said. "For me, the reality check is more... how it affects your family and friends."
On Tuesday (Nov. 23), Raymond was cremated in Canmore and his ashes placed in a honey pot with a bear on it. That same day his parents and wife were taken by Parks officials to the spot where he lost his footing.
Raymond's friend Tom Wolfe said that while most climbers are aware of the dangers out there, few believe it will happen to them.
"It's the same as driving down the 401. You never think you'll be in the car accident. You're always the one driving by the car accident," he said.
Wolfe, who has had to cope with the death of loved ones on several occasions, including two friends who died while mountaineering, said he remembers Raymond - the closest friend he's lost - for his sincerity, modesty and curiosity.
"He was very social, but very humble and straightforward," said Wolfe. "You really felt like you were dealing with the genuine Brent. He himself was a little quirky, but it was a joy interacting with him."
Those qualities extended beyond the social realm into Raymond's mountain guiding business, Alpine Wild Mountain Adventures.
"Because he was so humble and unassuming, and generous, and kind, and liked people regardless of their ability, he would have the kind of clients that only special guides would be able to teach," said Wolfe, referring to Raymond's work with handicapped children.
Raymond's brother Duane has set up a website to remember and celebrate Raymond's life, complete with photos of the people and places that meant the most to him. Those who knew him are asked to visit www.rememberingbrent.com and add their own comments.
"He was just a rare and exceptional person, and in the guiding community he sticks out as a rare person I could relate to," said Wolfe. "I will definitely miss him."