To my best friend Jacob,
I want to thank you for taking the leap into the wild with me. In my nascent journey through the mountains, I had no one to go with. But, you were the first person to share a common love for the mountains. We started our adventures around the Chilliwack Valley post holing for kilometres to a lowly forested summit. You wore rolled up jeans with water logged boots and yet your enjoyment of it all was unflappable. We’d go on to climb countless mountains over the years; sometimes failing, sometimes suffering, but always smiling.
Together we wandered through deep valleys, across vast snow fields and along narrow ridge lines; exploring the wild world around us. From the shortest outings or the heaviest down pours to long days in the freezing cold, you never shied away from an adventure. You were someone I could laugh with about the absurdity of our situations. Someone who could calm me when I was scared. You gave me the energy to endure and persevere the perils of mountains and life. You were always there for me.
Finally Jacob, I want to thank you:
for your courage and determination,
for your warmth and kindness,
for your unbounded stoke and energy,
for your love of the wild,
and for being my friend.
I long for the day that I will see you again
