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Colin Reece killed while climbing at Robin FallsNT

BallBagg

12-Sep-2010
10:04:29 AM

It is a very sad day for Australian climbing as one of the great legends and activists of our climbing scene was tragically killed in an accident yesterday at Robin Falls just south of Adelaide River NT.

I met Colin in early 1978 or 1979 at the base of janicepts which he was rope soloing. He was passing through the Bluey's en route to Yosemite. Many years later (2004) I climbed with him in the NT and since that time we shared many days at crags in the Top End, Moonarie and Morialta. He was always so generous with sharing his world and climbed with the joy and enthusiasm of a child. He was very humble about his achievements and there are many people who shared a rope with Colin over the years. Flick through any guide and you will see his name there with Henry Barber, Mark Morehead and others.

I loved him like a brother and loved climbing with him. He will be sadly missed.

Bill

jacq

12-Sep-2010
11:47:19 AM

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/12/3009317.htm?section=justin

Very sad. My condolences to his family and friends.

rightarmbad

12-Sep-2010
1:21:19 PM

Arghh Fuuck.
Always hits home when you have known the person.


Chuck Norris

12-Sep-2010
2:17:23 PM

I was absolutely gutted when I heard the news this morning.

When I started climbing in Adelaide in the early 80's I grew up on a diet of fireside stories about Col (both climbing and non - climbing). With such a reputation preceding him it is remarkable that when I finally met and started climbing with him in 89 that I wasn't disappointed - the man fitted the legend perfectly, even exceeded it.

Its probably not fully appreciated how influential a character he was in Oz climbing.

RIP

crm114

12-Sep-2010
4:46:42 PM

I met Col in 2004 and also climbed with him in the NT.

He was a great source of inspiration in those relatively early days of my climbing and a great bloke. His enthusiasm for putting up new routes was such that he was tended to climb precisely and elegantly, at the same time peering distractedly at the next possible line along.

He certainly had a few epics under his belt, climbs and otherwise. I will have to dig out the Rock Edition from a few years back which referred to a 20 m hand jam traverse in Adelaide Hills...

Col also did a number of marathons and ultra marathons in his time.

This next lead is his alone, I guess.

Adrian


bel

12-Sep-2010
5:50:13 PM

Its a sad day, col was an amazing bloke to sit around a fire with. he took photos of my very 1st lead ever at morialta and shouting encouragment as i pulled through the henry barber finish of flying butress on my first trip to moonarie. He was a great early influence on my climbing. Ill never forget watching him happily putting up a route, unroped ripping bits of loose rocks of as he went!!! what a legend RIP

Mike Bee

12-Sep-2010
6:09:01 PM

I only met the guy once, but he seemed to have a real passion for climbing. Combined with the stories I've heard both from guide books and from others, and his passing is a real tragedy for Aussie climbing.

RIP Colin Reece.

Rich_76

12-Sep-2010
6:18:33 PM

Ohh no :(. Col took me out climbing a couple of times in Darwin in 08. He was a kind man with a big heart. I was looking forward to climbing with him again. Such a sad sad day. Thanks Bill for introducing him to me. I owe you one mate.

dave1962

12-Sep-2010
7:04:12 PM

i met colin in 1997 when i started climbing, he broke my new rack in and i followed him on tabraj, i since shared many great times chatting and climbing in the flinders ranges at moonarie, he was the legend of climbing and a great explorer and new router, a great loss to the whole climbing community. he will be sadly missed. R.I.P col

Bily

12-Sep-2010
7:11:52 PM

It is a tragic day for all climber/s and non climbers both in Australia and the world. I know that Col looked forward every Friday when it was knock off time to head out to the crags and start bolting or exploring areas only the brave at heart would dare to adventure. We all thought he was mad but in reality he was a pure genius in the profession of climbing. He shared his home,his heart and knowledge of climbing and would take you to places that you only dreamed of. He didn't want his name up in lights he just lived for climbing and wanted others to share his passion. It didn't matter if you were a first time beginner or a grade 32 he always made you feel special. It wasn't only about the rocks it was also about exploring and living life to the fullest. He had so much to give and so much he wanted to achieve. He is a legend in his own right! Those that know him will never forget him and those that have heard of him will never forget him. Rest in peace good friend. I hope there is a whole heap of climbing and adventure wherever you are!


robb

12-Sep-2010
7:16:59 PM

Sad news indeed. Col was an inspiring guy. Always enthusiastic. Legend. Pioneer of Australian climbing. Lots of of great stories. I met and climbed with Col a few times at Moonarie . he always provided endless enthusiasm, encouragement and humorous moments. With the amount of soloing Colin did in remote places, i guess its a blessing we at least know what happened.
RIP Col


IdratherbeclimbingM9

12-Sep-2010
7:45:29 PM

My condolences to his family and friends, as another inspirational icon of Aussie climbing precedes us.
It is a salient reminder of the risks we run in our game, so safe climbing to all who ponder on how it happened who read this thread.

prb

12-Sep-2010
9:59:57 PM

I'm a bit shaken up by this. It was my privilege to have known and climbed with Colin. If you wanted to learn how to prepare and climb new routes in remote areas, he was the man.

I remember a newbie asking Colin why he did what he did. He replied,

"All I've wanted to do, ever, is to climb on rock."

And he really meant it.

crm114

13-Sep-2010
10:29:17 AM

Some further details on how this happened:

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2010/09/13/178791_ntnews.html

TonyB

13-Sep-2010
12:47:57 PM

Strange that he was bolting and not tied in ? Lower offs/BBs perhaps ?

ClimbingNT

13-Sep-2010
12:52:22 PM

On behalf of ClimbingNT, I would just like to add that what happened on Saturday was a tragic accident, and Col will be greatly missed by many that knew him.

He was a great inspiration to many people, and it was truly an honour to be able to climb with him.

Col devoted a lot of his time towards the expansion of climbing projects in the NT, and was very excited with the prospect of building an online community for NT climbers. Even though his life has ended, his legend will live on within all of us.

RIP Col, you were a great mate, and a great climber.

COLIN REECE - Called to climb higher mountains.

gtempest

13-Sep-2010
2:01:45 PM

When I started climbing in the mid 1970s, Colin Reece was in his early 20s and was already a legend of Moonarie. When I met him, I think it was in early 1977 at Arapiles, I was immediately struck by his incredible enthusiasm. When it came to the Flinders Ranges and the Gammons there was nobody who knew them as intimately as he did. I last saw him about five or six years ago when I ran into him at Moonarie. When I mentioned that we were headed to the Gammons to do some exploring in some of the more remote gorges, he immediately sat me down and filled my head with details of his own considerable exploits. He then handed me his well-worn copy of a walking guide to the Gammons, in which he had scribbled various notes, details and amendments. I said that I would send it back to him when I got back to Melbourne but he insisted I keep it. Colin was one of the legends of Australian climbing. He was one of those very few climbers who were made of the Right Stuff. I'll miss him.

rod

13-Sep-2010
5:08:31 PM

I'm in tears, my heart goes out to all who knew him as a friend. RIP Colin.

billyboy

13-Sep-2010
10:00:11 PM

I feel very sad what has happened. I first meet Col at Umbawarra gorge in the NT in 1995. He was an inquisitive fella and asked me if I knew any good rocks for climbing around the top end. Ever since then we have remained very close friends and have shared many adventures, many cinnamon baked apples, many beers and many climbing stories around a camp fire. It always amazes me that when he returns to a crag he hasn't climbed for years he can just rattle off where all the holds and moves are. He loved drawing maps and he had many detailed maps of climbing sites all over Australia and some still to be explored. Most of the time he would pedal on his bike because he could never keep a car in one piece for very long. His home was like a climbing mecca of maps, grid references of rocks in the middle of nowhere, climbing magazines, ropes, harnesses and shoes of all sizes. So you could always rely on Col for equipment. He always put up with my lack of climbing ability and that's what made him a good friend. I will miss his funny sense of humor and his quirky ways of doing things. Rest in peace Col you're a good mate and I'll miss you heaps.

julesqld

14-Sep-2010
8:05:34 AM

We meet Col while climbing and running outdoor stores in Darwin. We climbed with Col and had many adventures with him . Col was the ever constant incentive for the rock climbing community to get out there and achieve new heights. We and many others will miss him.

Jules & Jules

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