Colorado's climbing community in mourning over the death of Hilaree Nelson
Friends remembered Colorado climber and skier Hilaree Nelson Wednesday for her incredible talent and ability.
"She spanned a generational space that we haven't seen before," said fellow climber and skier Eric Henderson. "She's been looked up to as a skier of the younger generation. She's worked with youth groups, she's worked with many of her non-profits for the environment as well empowering young ladies in their teens," he explained.
And she has inspired.
"Hilaree was a selfless woman and a selfless athlete. You she was in it because she had the ability but she was in it because she had the ability to also teach and mentor others, no matter if it was your first day skiing or your first day climbing."
Through the years she had picked up accolades and awards. Nelson was a champion of extreme skiing in the 90s. She settled in Telluride and was comfortable on Colorado slopes when she was not challenging herself on some of the world's most remote and highest peaks. She advocated for the environment as well as set new records, like becoming the first woman to climb two peaks over 8000 meters, Everest and Lhotse within a single 24-hour push in 2012.
In 2018, Nelson along with her partner Jim Morrison summited Lhotse, the world's fourth highest peak, then skied the so-called, "Dream Line" down its unique couloir. But more than that, she was a public figure with sponsorships due to her talent and a community and environmental activist. "Her magic drew you in. And you instantly had a friendship with her. That was unparalleled," said Henderson.
On 26,871-foot Manaslu on Monday she was in troubling weather with monsoon moisture and wind. Nelson wrote on Instagram this week, "I haven't felt as sure-footed on Manaslu as I have on past adventure into the thin atmosphere of the high Himalaya."
After the fall, Morrison wrote in an Instagram post that she was following him.
"After a few turns, Hilaree followed and started a small avalanche. She was swept off her feet and carried down a narrow snow slope down the south side… of the mountain over 5000'. I did everything I could to locate her but was unable to go down the face to find her alive and live my life with her. I spent the last two days searching from the air and in a helicopter."
He located her body Wednesday morning after a brave pilot put down at 22,000 feet.
"There's a lot of moisture, there's a lot of snow. So you're navigating and mitigating hazard as well as group dynamics," said Henderson, who has been on Everest. "Skis are a whole different element you know because skis are moving really fast. And there's a lot of decision-making in a fraction of a second. So what took place within that summit block is hard to say at this point."
But the loss is painful.
"The risk-taking is obviously part of the game right and we know that that's part of the game and we know that there will be fallen heroes as we push the boundaries of our sports."