Monika Johnson missing near alpental....

How ironic!

"Less than a week after backcountry enthusiast Monika Johnson died in a fall near Snoqualmie Pass, the state Court of Appeals ruled in a lawsuit she filed two years ago against Recreational Equipment Inc., saying REI must take responsibility for an allegedly defective part that caused Johnson's bicycle to collapse, leaving her with permanent injuries."

Over the years we came to know Monika as a wonderful, caring, and kind person.  Monika had legs of steel, a heart of gold, and a winning smile a mile wide. 

This is such a tragic loss. This site is such a testament to how many lives she touched over the years. I knew her through the Glacier Travel class, and was amazed by her vitality, energy, and enthusiasm. This has affected me more than I could have imagined. She was truly an inspiration, and I hope that I can live my life a little more like she lived hers.

At Kam and Allyson's wedding in Tahoe.

I had the opportunity meet and ski with Monika during the crevasse rescue class in '09.  Having only met her briefly, she struck me not only as a skilled ski mountaineer (and clearly a super-human athlete), but also as just a super cool and humble person, with a great positive energy and an infectious smile.  

My deepest condolences to those closest to her. Thanks Ryan, Amar, and co for sharing your trip in her honor yesterday with us.

FROM TWO OF MONIKA’S PATIENTS:

Our name names are Anne and John and we are wife and husband.  We met Monika in a different sequence than most of you.  We didn’t meet Monika breaking trail in the middle of a blizzard deep in some mountain range.  We had no idea of her incredible athletic ability and legendary back country exploits.  We met Monika at least five years ago in the warm and cozy confines of the Virginia Mason Physical Therapy Department.  Yet, we would have the same love and respect for her if we had never even known that she was a backcountry skier.

John was a patient first.  It took John about the same amount of time (a nanosecond) to be impressed with Monika’s skill as an empathetic and warm physical therapist as it took many of you to be impressed with her backcountry skiing ability and stamina while you were being passed by her breaking trail in deep snow.   

Anne soon also became a patient, admirer, and friend of Monika.

Monika modestly confided in us that she had an interest in backcountry skiing. We were 60+ year old patients who wanted to be healthy enough to pursue our passion for downhill skiing (and uphill riding!).  Of course, whenever Monika saw either of us, we would ask if she’d done any skiing lately.  After she said “yes” and described where—our jaws would drop.  We quickly began to appreciate her passion for her sport.

Anne saw Monika last year briefly after Monika returned from her serious bicycle accident.  Since then we had both planned on going back to Monika for help with our aging bodies but never got around to making an appointment.  We’d frequently refer to her whenever we discussed our physical health, backcountry skiing, or wonderful people.

This past November we were at the Banff Mountain Film Festival in North Bend, and Monika recognized Anne and came up to her.  The three of us spent a few precious minutes reconnecting.  At the time we had no idea of how important those minutes would be to us.  We have recently come to the belief that everything happens for a reason and that there are no coincidences.  That we saw Monika then makes us realize how true that is.

When we heard about the “40-year old woman missing in the back country of the Cascades”-- the thought of Monika never crossed our minds-- because Monika couldn’t possibility be 40.

Monday morning Anne came to John and said “I have some very sad news.  I think the missing skier is Monika.”  We grabbed the paper, and our worst fears were confirmed.  As we read the article and went to this website we found a bright light there.  We learned that she was a legend among her fellow backcountry skiers and that they responded to her warmth, empathy, smile, and exuberance to everything in life—the same qualities that had drawn us to her.   It was wonderful to read about how she inspired breast cancer surgery survivors to “get back on the bike” and conquer their health challenges, just as Monika had done after her horrible bicycle accident.

It was almost more inspiring for us to learn about this extraordinary person in a most conventional way, first as a physical therapist, then friend, and then in small pieces about her huge ability as an athlete.  It is overwhelming that it took a tragedy for us to learn about Monika’s incredible impact on the lives of others.  We join all of Monika’s friends, both here on this website and those in the rest of the world, in paying tribute to a truly wonderful person.  Monika, your positive influence will be passed on and outlive all of us.  God bless.

I have mostly been a 'lurker' on this site, gleaning tips and trail beta and reading with admiration trip reports to places my skill and stamina wouldn't handle. I only know of Monika through those reports, so her passing hasn't left a hole in my life as it has for so many. Yet, I am struck, like so many others here, at how deeply I feel the loss of such a bright presence.

I read Amar's trip report for Muir last Tuesday. We were there too, basking in the sun and enjoying the butter turns. My friend reminded me this morning of the couple--tourists in tennis shoes-- that approached us in the lot and asked, "Did you guys come across a stuffed kitty up there? My girlfriend lost her stuffed kitty. We traced our steps but couldn't find it." I made some lame joke like, "Maybe it came to life like Frosty and ran off to join its friends in the wild." A silly, WTF moment that in retrospect has resonance.

Mary Oliver is my favorite poet and one of her poems ends with the line:

I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.

Clearly, Monika was more than just a visitor. And even not knowing her, I think it's safe to say that when that door opened and she was faced with crossing that line that it was not with hesitation or a whimper, but a strong, track-setting stride and that life-brightening smile. My condolences to family and friends. bill

I hope everyone will forgive me for sort of thinking as I type. I just checked my master peak list that I use for my panoramas (compiled from Jeff Howbert’s great data base) and found 8 listings for ‘Red Mountain’.  Not that the official name of the Red Mountain where this so tragic event happened will ever be changed, but I wondering if it would honor Monika’s memory if a few of us started thinking of it as “Monika’s Peak” or something like that.  Ideas? Or am I not thinking clearly because of all my sadness?

As far as the precedent for people’s names being used in unofficial names, that’s no problem; think of Mary Peak for Mary Sutliff, or the nearby Judy Peak.  And as to rational, the number of people who have read this thread speaks for itself.

Larry