david and i didn't know chris but we had known steve for a short time.
last year, when we worked at dornan's, steve was working at moosely mountaineering. He would give us beta, help us with gear, tell us stories, etc. He gave david a file for his crampons and sold me my first pair of climbing shoes. steve was known for his skiing and that was his passion, but he knew everything there was to know about climbing.
even though we didn't know steve outside of the shop, he was a presence in our climbing beginnings. i didn't realize that someone i barely knew had an effect on my life in a large way until today at the sale.
all of his old gear: skis, boots, crampons, tents, watches, stoves, waders, cameras, ropes, and some clothes were out on the front lawn up for sale. it seemed odd to me. like this man's whole life was scattered around a yard for people to pick at. it made me feel weird. when steve's girlfriend approached me while i was walking around, i expressed this to her. she smiled and said that this is exactly what steve would have wanted. and that there was no "bad juju" in any of these items. i told her the story of how steve helped david and i out when we were just getting started. i told her that it was nice to have someone teach us things about climbing and the mountains even though steve was mainly a skier, and since many older and more seasoned climbers can be rude and cocky. i think she enjoyed hearing our little story.
in the end, i bought steve's winter sleeping bag for david.
i think he will like it.
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