John "Jake" Quilter

[Jeffshadows]

While visiting the Madrona Ranger Station last weekend I encountered an NPS memorial to Mr. Quilter and immediately began wondering what could have happened to him (http://hikearizona.com/phoZOOM.php?ZIP=77770). A friend who works with parks forwarded me a newsletter that gave a few details:

John “Jake” Quilter, 26, March 8,
while hiking in the Rincon Mountains.

Jake was a trail crew member and a
first-year seasonal employee at Saguaro
NP. He had worked trail crew assign-
ments at Grand Teton NP, Grand
Canyon NP and Olympic NP.
The crew that Jake was with were
beginning a project to rehabilitate a fire-
damaged trail. His death, which
was not witnessed, occurred on the Man-
ning Camp Trail near the mountain’s
6,700-foot elevation. Jake had hiked out
ahead of his group and was found by
another crew member lying on the trail.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.

[azbackpackr]

Very nice, glad to hear about this. I have always loved the Rincons. Great way to honor Mr. Quilter as well.

[pops c]

While visiting the Madrona Ranger Station last weekend I encountered an NPS memorial to Mr. Quilter and immediately began wondering what could have happened to him (http://hikearizona.com/phoZOOM.php?ZIP=77770).

Just a note: The Memorial to Jake has been moved to the Quilter/Hope Camp trail junction.

The Saguaro Nat’l Park Trails Supervisor wrote me,
“Jake Quilter's Memorial will be relocated to its proper place at the Quilter Trail Head!”


Directions: From Loma Alta Trailhead 32.13294° N, 110.68700° W. Follow the Hope Camp Trail east for 2.3 miles to the Quilter Trailhead 32.139321° N, 110.654096° W



As The AZT Steward for this Segment (9a, the last 1+ year) I had often wondered who Jake Quilter was. This pass spring 2013 while thru-hiking the AZ Trail I got to learn about Jake. Hiking the San Francisco Peaks Passage north of Flagstaff I was passed by two ladies on Mt bikes. Seeing my pack one asked “Are you thru-hiking the trail?”, “Yes”, I replied, and they stopped to talk. I proceeded to tell them my story of training for the hike, volunteering on AZT work projects then becoming a trail Steward. The odd thing was instead of saying the proper segment name “Hope Camp” I said “Quilter Trail Steward” (The Quilter trail is actually about 90% of the Segment).

They responded “we knew Jake Quilter, we worked with Jake, He was an amazing guy!” I set my pack down “you have got to tell me this story”. It was a cold morning on the AZT up high near the Snow Bowl trail junction, but for a good 30 minutes I listened to their first hand accounts: “a good stone mason, great musician/guitarist, he had a great sense of humor". I consider our chance meeting one of the highlights of my hike across Arizona.

[azbackpackr]

While visiting the Madrona Ranger Station last weekend I encountered an NPS memorial to Mr. Quilter and immediately began wondering what could have happened to him (http://hikearizona.com/phoZOOM.php?ZIP=77770).

Just a note: The Memorial to Jake has been moved to the Quilter/Hope Camp trail junction.

The Saguaro Nat’l Park Trails Supervisor wrote me,
“Jake Quilter's Memorial will be relocated to its proper place at the Quilter Trail Head!”


Directions: From Loma Alta Trailhead 32.13294° N, 110.68700° W. Follow the Hope Camp Trail east for 2.3 miles to the Quilter Trailhead 32.139321° N, 110.654096° W



As The AZT Steward for this Segment (9a, the last 1+ year) I had often wondered who Jake Quilter was. This pass spring 2013 while thru-hiking the AZ Trail I got to learn about Jake. Hiking the San Francisco Peaks Passage north of Flagstaff I was passed by two ladies on Mt bikes. Seeing my pack one asked “Are you thru-hiking the trail?”, “Yes”, I replied, and they stopped to talk. I proceeded to tell them my story of training for the hike, volunteering on AZT work projects then becoming a trail Steward. The odd thing was instead of saying the proper segment name “Hope Camp” I said “Quilter Trail Steward” (The Quilter trail is actually about 90% of the Segment).

They responded “we knew Jake Quilter, we worked with Jake, He was an amazing guy!” I set my pack down “you have got to tell me this story”. It was a cold morning on the AZT up high near the Snow Bowl trail junction, but for a good 30 minutes I listened to their first hand accounts: “a good stone mason, great musician/guitarist, he had a great sense of humor". I consider our chance meeting one of the highlights of my hike across Arizona.

Thanks for posting! Good to here about the Memorial, and great trail story as well!

[Seashep]

I stumbled onto this post tonight. Jake was one of my best friends throughout school and up until this tragic event. When I say he was a great guy I say that remembering something I believe I heard Casey say at his memorial. “Who had anything they could say bad about Jake? Nobody could say anything bad about Jake because of what a standup friend he was. To this day, I tell my youngest children about my friend Jake and about how Casey said that and how it really resonated with me. I tell my young children every morning when I drop them off at school, “be a friend” and think of Jake every time I do. The good truly do die young.