"It's difficult to accept the fact that we cannot control everything in life, yet we still try, and maybe our path changes to something totally unexpected." Hayden Kennedy, 2017
At 27, Hayden Kennedy was considered one of the world's best mountain climbers. He had made it to the top of some of the world's most demanding peaks and done it with skill, poise and humility that set him apart in the climbing world.
Then, in October, Kennedy and his girlfriend, Inge Perkins, were backcountry skiing and were caught up in avalanche. Perkins died beneath the snow. Kennedy managed to dig his way out. But the next day Kennedy, who had faced down death on so many peaks, took his own life.
Chris Kalous, creator of the The Enormocast climbing podcast, was Kennedy's longtime friend and mentor. He spoke with Colorado Matters host Nathan Heffel as part of our 2017 Remembrances series, highlighting Coloradans who died this year.
