What a great bit of history! Thank you. I was lucky enough to meet Art later in his life and within 5 min. of that meeting could feel his crazy/funky intensity for life. He was an inspiration to a climber/ski bum like myself.
Art is part of the fadeing fabric of the Steamboat life that makes the Mtns. so wonderful. He IS missed!
Thank you to all, who have come together and collectively faced this tragedy of life. That we have a finite number of days to live, is certainly not lost, but it is catalyzed by Art's accomplishmentsw and the suddeness of his untimely death.. Words seem cold and heartless when trying to encapsulate such a MAN'S life, but i find and i hope others find, solice and comfort in the fact that by sharing Art's life and accomplishments we all keep his integrity and character alive in us all. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.....!
Tim A Higbee
P.S. Mike, I have plenty more pictures. I am in the process of transfering them onto my computer to be then posted on your site. From my family to yours....... Thank you for the amount of respect and love you have shown my father, and therefore me.
About two months ago, I received a copy of the Steamboat Pilot and the beautiful story about Art and his passing. I am late in posting here because I cried so hard when I saw the news of his passing that I couldn't read any more for two months. That article lay on a counter for the entire two months and I would pass by it and say, "Hi Art" or "I'm sorry Art" or "the world misses you in it Art." But I couldn't read it because I hurt too much.
Like you Mike, whom I've never met or even heard of, I hadn't seen Art in a number of years -- about four I think. I moved from Steamboat to Jackson Hole about then. I lived in Steamboat about 25 years and knew Art for most of those years. Always there was a place of specialness that for a long time I was too young to understand, but in the last few years before I left, I began to understand. Art was real; Art was passionate; Art connected and lived to connect. In the last couple of years I used to see Art at Mocha Molly's and I always was sad when it was time to go and I had to draw a conversation with him to a close. I rarely met anyone who talked about the things I loved to talk about and that he talked about. I loved listening to him, finding common ground with him, seeing that light in his eye that I think now was his soul, a very bright soul.
Today, I was finally able to read the paper my friend from Steamboat sent me two (or more?) months ago without sobbing. But I am still crying. Today, it is because I am grateful I was blessed by knowing such a man and such a soul. Art, I hope to see you again someday, somewhere. You are missed.
Allison McNeill
What a shocker! I was on google today looking for high res pics of mountains I had climbed when I decided to type in Art's name. I'm so sorry to read this kind of news. I met Art back in the 70's. He another climber Denis Oakshot (from California) were up in Jasper back then climbing & hanging out, how me met I can't remember. Maybe they came into the climbing shop I was working in or maybe it was at the bar. We went climbing a few times at place us locals called the "Rock Garden". Art & Denis disappeared to climb the northface on Edith Cavell I remember it well because when they came back down to town my place became one big drying rack for all their climbing gear! We ate & drank & laughed while sharing climbing stories and info.
Art & Denis were headed to the Bugaboos and asked if I wanted to come along - hey it was the 70's!!. I had to beg off work and hitch hike with my 100 lbs of gear - which I did. Long story short I made it & we went climbing. Bugaboo Spire NE Ridge with a moon lit descent down a frozen col between Snow Patch & Bugaboo in EB's. Pigeon was the next great glacier crossing & climb. Then the three of us decided to try a new route up Bugaboo Spire direct. Hey why climb the established stuff!!
8-10 pitches in to it with Denis leading, Art had set up our belay, I was hauling up our haul bag... Denis took a fall, maybe a 15-20' lead which translated into quite a fall for Denis. I was pulled away from the face, haul bag I was yarding up dropped, Denis looked like maybe he had broken his leg, blood was dripping from one of us (turns out it was me) Any way there the three of us were "like an elephant hanging on a blade of grass" ** ART's exact words** hanging off two opposing stoppers a #7 & a #8!!! Three guys plus a hull bag 1500' up a sheer garnite face swinging around in the air. "Like an elephant on a blade of grass" LOL!!
Those words have shaped my life so many times since that day, I will live with those words till the day I die. In a flash Art described our moment so perfectly. Just one day out of 58 years and how Art shaped my life.
Art! Awesome, Unique, Smart, Focused, Funny, and a crazy buddy!
I met one day climbing as a beginner on Butcherknife Rock in Steamboat Springs, back in 1994. "He taught me how to climb"!!! I remember placing one protection piece on a 40 ft climb on day...this was placed 10ft off the ground! I know if I fell I would hit the ground when I was 15 feet above that one piece. Art kept saying: focus, make clean moves and be smooth!! I made it to the top w/out ripping off the wall and hitting the ground.
He inspired me:)
I went on to climb Boulder Canyon and Eldorado Canyon due to Art and remembering him always...almost every time I went climbing.
He was “the man”!
You are missed and always remembered.
Cheers!
-Andy Knouse