Dean Potter Remembered

The loss of climbing and BASE jumping legend Dean Potter has obviously hit the outdoor and adventure community very hard. His death in Yosemite over the weekend while BASE jumping with Graham Hunt has left many stunned and in mourning. As the news spread across the Internet there has been an impressive number of tributes, profiles, and articles written about Dean, who was at times a controversial figure both in life and death. Here is a round-up of some of the stories.

• Dean Potter Lived Live on the Edge (Outside Online)
• Top Shots: Remembering a Legend (GrindTV)
• Opinion: In Praise and Defense of Dean Potter (Adventure Journal)
• How Dean Potter Reinvented Climbing, Jumping, Flying (National Geographic)
• Poet of Light and Air: Dean Potter (Alpinist)
• R.I.P. Dean Potter (Explorers Web)
• Dean Potter, Graham Hunt Killed in BASE Jump (Climbing)
• Dean Potter died in a wingsuit accident (Adventure Sports w/ Stefan Nestler)
• Dean Potter's Extreme Exploits Showed Us the Beauty of Life on the Edge (The Guardian)
• Watch Dean Potter's most high-profile jumps and climbs (LA Times)
• Daredevil Dean Potter's extreme bond with pet dog Whisper (Daily Mail)
• 'Dying into flying': Daredevil Dean Potter leaves behind towering legacy (CTV)

As you'll see as you read through these articles there are some very common threads. First, Dean was widely admired and respected for his climbing abilities and adventurous spirit. But beyond that, he was also much loved because he was a genuinely good human being. Yes, from time to time he did some things that caused a stir both in and out of the climbing community, but his good natured enthusiasm, and boyish love of life, made him a hard man not to like. That is why there has been such an amazing response online to his death, and why he will be missed greatly.

Once again, my condolences to Dean and Graham's friends and family on this loss.