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SALT LAKE CITY — The life of an alpine climber is risky. A journey Kyle Dempster knew well.
“On that journey, you go through the feeling of fear to an eventual outcome,” Dempster said in a documentary called “The Road From Karakol.”
Dempster made those comments a little more than a year ago, just before he and fellow alpinist, Scott Adamson attempted to climb the north face of a 23,000-foot mountain called Ogre II in Pakistan.
“Kyle was one of the most internationally known rock climbers,” said Dr. Kate Wilson.
It had never been done, and the outcome last year was nearly fatal. Both men survived falls of several hundred feet.
“Ogre II is one of the most challenging and inherently dangerous peaks. It’s not just something you walk up.”
Dr. Wilson knows all about the dangers Alpine climbers face. Her son, Drew, fell to his death on Baffin Island in Northeastern Canada in 2005. Dempster, her nephew, was Drew's climbing partner that day.
Dempster continued his adventures even after Drew's death. For years, he traveled the world and climbed some of the most dangerous peaks. On August 21st, Dempster, 33, and 34-year-old Adamson wanted one more try on that Pakistani peak. It was supposed to be a five-day trip.
When asked what was her greatest fear when she knew Dempster and Adamson were going back for a second attempt to climb Ogre II, Wilson said there were numerous fears.
“Certainly there was a fear of an accident, fear of weather systems, it's certainly something you have to think about when you consider that mountain range.”
The two were last seen August 22nd. The cook at base camp saw them near the summit before a terrible storm engulfed the mountain. The storm prevented a search until September 2nd, and a helicopter crew could find no sign of the climbers.
Wilson's sister, Terry Dempster, who is Kyle's mother, spoke with a climber she knew at the scene.
“She asked them if it was a beautiful place and he assured her it was absolutely gorgeous, and I think she was comforted in that image of being lost in that part of nature that he would have cherished,” Wilson said. “Adventurous souls do leave broken hearts behind.”
Wilson’s advice: Follow your passion.
“Life with passion is the way we should all live and not everybody has the opportunity to do that,” Wilson said. “If your child is passionate about something, provide them with the tools to do it safely.”
Contributing: Xoel Cardenas
