I am utterly speechless about the sadness of the events and the personal intensity of the writing. I cannot imagine what it must feel like to write such a personal account. Your story and reflection of your life brought tears in my eyes. I am truly sad at this point but assured that you lived a more fulfilling life among your mountains than most people can dream of.
Even though I had not the opportunity to personally meet you, through your writing and photos you will forever be remembered by me.
I am devastated to hear these news! What you must have been going through, I don't believe I can even imagine. I have often been thinking of you - really, I have! after all, you were the very first person to write to me and greet me when I first joined SP and uploaded my very first photo - and wondering where you are and what you're doing, as you've been absent from SP for quite a while...I am so sorry about all of this, it really makes me sad...
No matter what happens, don't give up innerly...I have something to tell you, but I think I will continue in a PM to you now...
I'm thinking of you!!!
All the very best to you and I wish you all the strength and endurance you can possibly have,
Eric
a hell of a lot of pain and suffering, Vernon. How you were able to deal with it and tell us about it, I cannot begin to imagine. You/we do what we have to do and in a sense, that's all we can do.
When I think of what you've written, I will try to temper those thoughts with thoughts of the last picture on this page.
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell;
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.
I will never think of GNP again without remembering Saintgrizzly...
Many times I have sent friends to read his pages on SP and found myself referencing something he wrote so he will not be forgotten as long as his words are here for us to see.
Though I never met you Vernon, I know the world has lost a gifted writer and special mountain soul.
Probably one of the most inspiring articles ever written. May you rest in peace and though we never met, I want to thank you for all you have done. Your legacy will not be forgotten.
Thank you Vernon and SPfor sharing your live's and joy with us all.
Thank you for sharing your life's ups and downs. I love mountains, but it is the "shared adventure" with my brother Dirk that made me want to live. It is my wife and son who made me fight an avalanche and struggle along the same time with Saint Griz to try to live. I feel it is the shared adventure that drives climbers to experience "classic" peaks and routes from Glacier to a hospital floor. To feel a comparison, a kinship with like-minded fools who constantly look up. Thank you Vernon for sharing your joy with us. As I cry, I share your fear, and the empty feeling of loss with your loved ones. I hope to get to Glacier. I first professed my love to my wife at Lake McDonald, If allowed, I will tip-toe Glacier's ledges and think of your strength and pray to my Saint for forgiveness...
Thank you for leading the way...
these pages of SP and the mountains of which you trod and wrote about. We as a community remember. It is with great sadness to know that you have passed.
SoCalHiker - Mar 1, 2011 6:25 pm - Voted 10/10
May you rest in peaceI am utterly speechless about the sadness of the events and the personal intensity of the writing. I cannot imagine what it must feel like to write such a personal account. Your story and reflection of your life brought tears in my eyes. I am truly sad at this point but assured that you lived a more fulfilling life among your mountains than most people can dream of.
Even though I had not the opportunity to personally meet you, through your writing and photos you will forever be remembered by me.
Guido
EricChu - Mar 1, 2011 7:07 pm - Voted 10/10
Dear Saintgrizzly,I am devastated to hear these news! What you must have been going through, I don't believe I can even imagine. I have often been thinking of you - really, I have! after all, you were the very first person to write to me and greet me when I first joined SP and uploaded my very first photo - and wondering where you are and what you're doing, as you've been absent from SP for quite a while...I am so sorry about all of this, it really makes me sad...
No matter what happens, don't give up innerly...I have something to tell you, but I think I will continue in a PM to you now...
I'm thinking of you!!!
All the very best to you and I wish you all the strength and endurance you can possibly have,
Eric
Sarah Simon - Mar 1, 2011 7:29 pm - Voted 10/10
Rest PeacefullyYou've left a bright light shining down on all of your family and friends and your community here at SummitPost. Thank you. Well done, sir.
Bob Sihler - Mar 1, 2011 7:51 pm - Voted 10/10
Vernon......you were one of the best of us. Thank you for the friendship, help, and support you gave over the too-short years we knew each other.
Bill Reed - Mar 1, 2011 9:10 pm - Hasn't voted
That sounded like.....a hell of a lot of pain and suffering, Vernon. How you were able to deal with it and tell us about it, I cannot begin to imagine. You/we do what we have to do and in a sense, that's all we can do.
When I think of what you've written, I will try to temper those thoughts with thoughts of the last picture on this page.
Deltaoperator17 - Mar 1, 2011 9:25 pm - Hasn't voted
Time for Rest VernonGo Rest High on that Mountain! Your many contributions are greatly appreciated and will be enjoyed for years to come.
Bye Mountain Brother.
Steve
lcarreau - Mar 1, 2011 10:25 pm - Voted 10/10
So sad ..I sing to your spirit
Where all my dreams dwell
The vision--the freedom
The life lived so well
And I sing in your canyons
And the echoes ring clear
And I wish somehow
You may still hear.
Bob Bolton - Mar 2, 2011 8:55 pm - Voted 10/10
Death, Be Not ProudDeath, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell;
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.
- John Donne, Divine Sonnet X
silversummit - Mar 4, 2011 3:52 pm - Voted 10/10
GoodbyeI will never think of GNP again without remembering Saintgrizzly...
Many times I have sent friends to read his pages on SP and found myself referencing something he wrote so he will not be forgotten as long as his words are here for us to see.
Though I never met you Vernon, I know the world has lost a gifted writer and special mountain soul.
mvs - Mar 6, 2011 2:45 pm - Voted 10/10
I think...this is an amazing document. I think, Vernon, your spirit will always climb mountains!
Matt Lemke - Mar 7, 2011 1:36 am - Voted 10/10
InspiringProbably one of the most inspiring articles ever written. May you rest in peace and though we never met, I want to thank you for all you have done. Your legacy will not be forgotten.
seth@LOKI - Mar 7, 2011 1:30 pm - Voted 10/10
Thank you Vernon and SPfor sharing your live's and joy with us all.Thank you for sharing your life's ups and downs. I love mountains, but it is the "shared adventure" with my brother Dirk that made me want to live. It is my wife and son who made me fight an avalanche and struggle along the same time with Saint Griz to try to live. I feel it is the shared adventure that drives climbers to experience "classic" peaks and routes from Glacier to a hospital floor. To feel a comparison, a kinship with like-minded fools who constantly look up. Thank you Vernon for sharing your joy with us. As I cry, I share your fear, and the empty feeling of loss with your loved ones. I hope to get to Glacier. I first professed my love to my wife at Lake McDonald, If allowed, I will tip-toe Glacier's ledges and think of your strength and pray to my Saint for forgiveness...
Thank you for leading the way...
klwagar - Mar 9, 2011 2:24 am - Voted 10/10
A lasting tributethese pages of SP and the mountains of which you trod and wrote about. We as a community remember. It is with great sadness to know that you have passed.
witzlaw - Mar 11, 2011 12:44 pm - Hasn't voted
An EternityAn Eternity
User Rating:
7.0 /10
(12 votes)
An Eternity
There is no dusk to be,
There is no dawn that was,
Only there's now, and now,
And the wind in the grass.
Days I remember of
Now in my heart, are now;
Days that I dream will bloom
White the peach bough.
Dying shall never be
Now in the windy grass;
Now under shooken leaves
Death never was.
Archibald MacLeish
ktnbs - Mar 16, 2011 10:26 pm - Hasn't voted
Be at peace Vernonand bless your soul from me who found this of yours so moving.
randie - Mar 28, 2011 11:04 pm - Hasn't voted
Cancer suckson the trail of fighting the terrible cancer cells..poison does not work
so glad he could see the Mt's and share the journey
Kristin5berry - Mar 30, 2011 1:13 pm - Hasn't voted
Thank you for sharingThis is beautiful. A valid reminder to live a life worth living!