HikeArizona.COM

2014-02-23 66 year old man dies in Upper Devil's Canyon. Hit in the head by a boulder.

Oh no...so sad to read this. Our HAZ community feels so close after all these years and it is so very hard to read about this and know the sadness it brings.

Peace be with you John

I first met John when we did the first GpsJoe search in 2010 and since then I've done a few peaks with him and climbed in the gym several times with him at meetups. Last Friday, we climbed a couple routes at Dobie Wall at Lookout Mountain and were making plans for future climbs. John helped me with my climbing and answered all my questions. My thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family. He will be greatly missed.

I hiked with him once and he was as nice as could be. Glad I was able to spend a day with him. Rest easy, John.

Good memories of only one day hike with John Scott on April 15, 2010. I remember he was a faster off-trail hiker than me and during this day outing, when we became separated, I recall only needing to look up high to find him http://hikearizona.com/photo=133117 . Rest In Peace johnr1

What a sickening freak accident. Have to feel for the climber as well RIP

Jim Lyding wrote:John was such a great guy. I always enjoyed hiking with him, and he'll be with us in spirit. He will be missed. My strongest condolences go out to his family.

100507_Pioneer Trail (26).JPG

Jim, here is the link to the video I made of you and John as he was guiding you down one of the Little Four Peaks. It is so John, so very helpful. I always felt comfortable with him when he was helping me with climbing, most of all getting down. This was one of my first videos so the quality isn't the best but the memory is one of the best:

http://youtu.be/fR2qL6CyDQk

True, despite the EXTREME sadness of it all.

Hippy wrote:At the very least, he was doing what he loved.

I remarked this to Kelly when I was talking with her this afternoon.

BobP wrote:I Last Friday, we climbed a couple routes at Dobie Wall at Lookout Mountain

thot about this too and thot, how lucky you were to have spent some time with him before this tragedy.

Grasshopper wrote: I recall only needing to look up high to find him

We used to say that all the time when John would go missing for a minute or two. And now he is as high as he can get but I am sure there are higher places even in heaven for him to go .

How awful! My condolences to his family and friends and to his climbing partner. From a few close calls, I can well imagine the waves of sensations and emotions the situation creates, but I've been fortunate to have quick relief thus far. I wish there were some way to bring such relief in this case.

I think there is no greater tribute that could be paid then the number of people here who loved him. John really was the best type of people, and the world is a little less brilliant with him not in it.

Makes me regret every hike/trip I've missed lately when it was an opportunity to see him. I know that he's found the ULTIMATE climbing grounds, though.

http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ID=128129>

Sure seems like John was everywhere!
I remember working with him to prepare for the technique we use at the Over the Rim -- Grand Canyon Clean-up in 2011.
http://hikearizona.com/photo=215480
He was eager to learn and ready to help. He will be missed. My heart goes out to his family and many friends. So tragic and such a loss.

I hope you don't mind but I am going to ask for your indulgence while I carry on with the following:

John dragged me UP many peaks and high places…. And usually he brot along a friend to help him drag me:

The Flatiron was a temptress for 5 years; I waited that long until he and Randy got me up there and 5024 on 11-14-2009. I had only started serious hiking earlier that year. I will always remember how between the two of them I laughed so hard I’m still surprised we got to the top. VIDEO: Yes

With John it was always a vertical thing; my least favorite but I always loved the reward. So he and Ambika and Linda and I topped off Quartz Peak - Estrellas on 1-9-2010. VIDEO: Yes

And as part of his giving back spirit we had the Little Four Peaks clean up and hike with Linda and Jim. So we climbed the Grandmother Lode on 1-30-2010. VIDEO: Yes

Next up, (yep “up” was generally always involved) was new territory: Goldfield Hi Country via Gateway Canyon where we got rained on really hard but we got to see the Delicate Arch on 3-7-2010. VIDEO: Yes

As I’m driving into the Organ Pipe Campground for an ABC event that involved only my brother and Wendy at the time I see John. Wondered why he was here only to learn that he and Wendy had conspired to drag us up Mount Ajo on 3-20-2010. I’m sure if there had been no “up”, John would not have been at that gate . VIDEO: Yes

And we even dragged Kat into our plans as we headed to Horton Creek Springs and hiked up to the spring on 8-14-2010. One of my fun pictures is of John in the middle of the spring.

After postponing due to cold weather, he dragged me up the backside of Tom’s Thumb trail on 1-16-2011 where he could check out the area for future climbing expeditions. VIDEO: Yes

And yet another adventure to a cool place, Aylor’s Arch on 3-20-2011 where we got Kelly and Ambika to tag along. Kelly was just starting to like this climbing thing a little more seriously now. VIDEO: Yes

The next weekend on 3-26-2011 I found John a partner to drag me up to Robber’s Roost via Carney, Denny. We had a great time; the boys even got to do some surfing. VIDEO: Yes

My turn to take John up something so we hit the Elephant Mountain-Spur Cross Loop on 4-10-2011. VIDEO: Yes

We would hook up again to hike up Mount Peeley together and with Linda on 4-30-2011 at the Camp Grasshopper – Mazatzal event. We saw Bob and Hank and Richard along the way. VIDEO: Yes

Early summer he thot Ambika and Guru and I should join him up O’Leary Peak's double peaks on 6-12-2011. That was a tough one for me but as always, so much fun with them. VIDEO: Yes

John was still on his “up” mission so he had me do my first Peak twofer and we hiked up Slate and Red Mountains on 7-9-2011. VIDEO: Yes

And barely back recovering from my summer trip to GNP, we joined arizonahikers.com including Ambika for the GHOTM. John and I went up early to get a head start on hiking up Granite Mountain Trail #261 on 8-6-2011. VIDEO: Yes

I found a hike that I thot John would like so we climbed up Bluff Spring Mountain on 11-21-2011. It was quite a day with the weather and all. VIDEO: Yes

We couldn’t just do Lost Goldmine to Cloudview with Ambika and Jack, we had to climb Turk’s Head on 12-17-2011. VIDEO: Yes

In April 2012, he and Kelly dragged me up the Battleship and Brown’s Peak the following weekend. By this time I was so comfortable with them both I would go anywhere with them. VIDEO: Yes

There were other more level hikes in-between and after. However, John got much more into climbing and less into walking a long trail. We would get together occasionally and I kept thinking I might try that climbing thing out but it just wasn’t in the cards.

I feel for his family as they seemed so loving and John seemed a good father and husband. I can only imagine their grief. I know we’re sad. I wish I had seen John recently. I’m just glad I have all those videos and pictures. I was watching one of our videos last nite and remembering some of our funny moments. John was so special and so gracious and kind to drag me UP places. May he RIP and may he finally find GPSJoe.

Thank you for letting me indulge this thread and thanks to HAZ that I can bring back those wonderful hiking memories so quickly and easily!

http://hikearizona.com/photo=226790

Such an unfortunate accident, RIP John. Your friends and the entire HAZ community will miss you....

Like Bobp, I first met John when we did the first GpsJoe search in 2010 and it made me realize what a great group of folks HAZ is. John and I were both getting tired on the return from Sheep and spotted each other down a couple of the steep, rocky sections after we both took small slips. Later on he took a short break to go climb on a boulder beside the divide trail. I was surprised at the time but as you got to know him better I realized that was John.
I met him on one more occasion. He was great guy and will be missed by all of us.

I first met John at Climbmax. We were both hangdogging halfway up a wall, and he called me by 'Julia'. We chatted for a moment, and then he said, "well, it was nice hanging with you!" and continued climbing.

He was always very kind, caring, and patient. He helped talk me down a section of Battleship which I was very frightened of: http://hikearizona.com/photo=169759 and joined in for the first HAZ GPSJoe search: http://hikearizona.com/photo=166814

It's so shocking that he's gone. Always a person with a kind word, who could bring a smile to your face. He is very much missed by all who knew him.

Very sad news. I met and hiked with John and Pam in the sups a few years ago. I enjoyed the trip with John and Pam very much. I will say a prayer for him and his family tonight. Go and be in peace John.

If any one has information about the funeral could you send it to me in a personal message?

@beckett
I was going to ask the same thing...Is anyone in contact with the Family? Any Information on a Service? And I totally understand if the Family prefers to keep this to just Family and very close Friends....

Sorry to hear the bad news, my thoughts and prayers go out to John's family and friends. I only got to do one hike with him but it was obvious that he was a nice guy and enjoyed life. Here are a couple pics of him enjoying himself.

http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ID=185433

http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ID=185434

God Bless.

Denny