An experienced climber tragically fell 1,200ft to his death inside the crater of the Mount St Helens volcano after scaling the summit for the 29th time.
The body of Roscoe ‘Rocky’ Shorey, 42, was found on Saturday after plummeting into the hole when a snow platform he was standing on apparently broke.
He was an avid explorer of the area and was planning his usual routine of snowboarding off-piste down the mountain before falling to his death.
Tributes have poured in for Shorey, as his friend Bret Barnum said KGW: ‘In 42 years, that guy lived a hundred years of life easily… Every time we could go out, it was an adventure.’
Roscoe ‘Rocky’ Shorey, 42, tragically fell to his death in the crater of the Mount St. Helens volcano after scaling the summit for the 29th time on Saturday.
The avid outdoorsman planned to snowboard off-piste down the mountain after his solo summit before falling to his death.
It is believed that Shorey was standing on a snow platform above the crater that fractured and ruptured, causing him to fall 1,200 feet into the volcano’s crater.
Barnum said Shorey was more than just a passionate climber, and the adrenaline junkie was also known for skydiving, scuba diving, heli-skiing and frequently volunteering in environmental cleanup efforts.
On his last ascent, Shorey had reached the summit of Mount St. Helens, an active volcano in Washington state, for the 29th time.
Before he could begin his snowboard descent, officials believe he was on a snow ledge, a platform of snow overlooking the crevasse, which broke.
A separate group of climbers later found Shorey’s backpack and climbing equipment at the summit near the crater rim, before seeing his lifeless body at the bottom of the volcano.
A massive search effort was conducted by the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office, including airlifting a rescue team into the volcano’s crater to recover Shorey’s body.
His friend Barnum said he became concerned about Shorey after not hearing from him the day after his expedition, and frantically contacted others in the area as the climber was well known in the local mountaineering community.
“It’s an extremely difficult time,” he said, noting that the experienced climber’s death was a tragic accident and was not due to carelessness.
‘The community as a whole, the metropolitan area, has lost a very, very caring person who was not reckless or careless, and who was very unlucky that day.
In addition to mountaineering, this adrenaline junkie was also known for skydiving, scuba diving, heli-skiing, and volunteering in environmental cleanup efforts.
Shorey was a brand ambassador for Mountain House, an outdoor dining company that paid tribute to him as a “fearless adventurer” with a “cheerful heart.”
‘The testimony of his life is that he simply lived it. She lived her way. She did not live dangerously. She lived it with prediction, with passion, with intention.’
Shorey was a brand ambassador for Mountain House, an outdoor dining company, which paid tribute to him as a “fearless adventurer” with a “joyful heart” in a statement following his death.
‘The Mountain House community is devastated by his loss. “We will remember him for his boundless energy, optimistic attitude and genuine Aloha spirit,” the statement read.
‘He loved conquering new peaks, swimming in alpine lakes, making new friends and encouraging young people to get outdoors.
‘We know that everyone who knew him will honor his memory by exploring and welcoming others to the outdoor community. He was a true friend and will be missed by all.”
Friend Justin Fields added in a Facebook post that although he only knew Shorey for two years, “I’ve never met anyone like him.”
Shorey’s friend Justin Fields (centre) paid a touching tribute to the outdoorsman (right), saying the 42-year-old was an “extremely kind soul” with “incredible health and stamina”.
“He was an extremely kind soul, a boy from the Hawaiian Islands with incredible health and stamina that kept him busy and traveling all the time,” she said.
‘Rocky never faced a food challenge he couldn’t complete!! He could eat 4 large pizzas for every one of mine, and I loved that about him, he always made me laugh.
He could drink a few ciders, but he had no vices. Above all, he knew him as an excellent listener, kind and patient beyond his 42 years.
‘I feel really comforted by the fact that he died doing exactly what he loved. Damn, I bet that sunrise was amazing, Rocky! I’m glad you got to see it, man. Good luck and A Hui Hou, brother.