Farewell to Todd Skinner

As many of you have already heard, Todd Skinner was killed October 23 while descending fixed ropes on the Leaning Tower in Yosemite. Details of the accident are incomplete, but he and his partner Jim Hewitt were working on a free route on the 1,200-foot monolith. Skinner and his partner, Jim Hewitt, were rappelling the route Jesus Built My Hot Rod, and were several hundred feet above the base when the accident occurred. Apparently, Skinner went first, and suddenly fell; his rappel device and locking carabiner remained on the rope.

His 300 ascents in 26 countries included the first free ascent of the 3,600-foot Salathé Wall on El Capitan in Yosemite (with Paul Piana) and also the first free climb of a route called the Great Canadian Knife in the Cirque of the Unclimbables in Canada's Northwest.

Our thoughts and condolences go out to Todd’s family and to Jim.

A memorial fund has been established for Todd Skinner's wife and three young children. Donations may be sent here:

Skinner Memorial Fund
c/o Atlantic City Federal Credit Union
704 West Main Street
Lander, WY 82520
U.S.A.
Phone: +1 307 332 0299


SFGate has more on this story.

Associated Press photo by Bill Hatcher.