No (apparent) fear

By: David Haroldsen

When Steve was in his first year after becoming a full member of the SL County SAR team, we had a call-out in Little Cottonwood Canyon for a group of four people stuck way up high... They thought they were in Coalpit Gulch, but we're actually up Y-couloir, A very steep chute full of loose rock (this was late summer). I was leading a team of four including an eager-to-go up Steve. We headed initially towards Coalpit, before discovering where the people really were and got caught in the middle bushwhacking up VERY steep terrain. I had no idea at the time that this might have been terrifying or paralyzing for someone with a fear of heights but Steve soldiered on carrying a ridiculous amount of weight (200 ft. rope plus everything else) as we like to load up our newbies. Not only did he not complain or say anything about the steep, somewhat dangerous terrain, but he just seemed genuinely happy to be there... but it could not have been easy for him. It only got steeper and steeper till we reached our cliffed-out people and start rigging ropes to get them down. That was my first time out with Steve and from that point on was only ever impressed with how much he loved to go out with us on calls and do whatever needed to be done.

I'll miss you.
Dave