We lost a good one :( R.I.P Mr. Franklin Bradshaw

vimeo.com/56267725   his enthusiasm is infectious, I will do my best to share his skisickness (c Sky Shue.)

Sad news,...

I met Franklin twice, the second time was late in the day at stevens pass. He came over, said hello, remembered me, and asked if I wanted to join him and a friend out in the steven's side country hunting out the untracked lines that the masses didn't trample. I could tell that he knew where the untracked goods were, and he was offering a guided tour just to share them with me, sensing my own obsession with untracked goodness.  Unfortunately, at that point my quad's were cooked for the day, so I declined. Even after a long day of skiing his enthusiasm was still switched on.  Cool guy, no doubt about it..

RIP Franklin

R.I.P my good friend. I am so saddened by this loss. I will never forget his contagious enthusiasm . I feel incredibly lucky that I was able to spend time adventuring with him.

Zack Jessel :-[

Franklin was involved in many good things. He had a very full life.

I met and knew Franklin as a coach at Stevens Pass for both Steven Pass Alpine Club and also Skykomish Ski Team. In that capacity many kids, including my son and daughter, were exposed to his enduring enthusiasm for skiing. He was just so good with the kids. He often would take groups of kids aged 10-12 (when he coached my son some years ago and and the last several years with my daughter) on great explorations around the mountain. My kids had their first runs on just about all the double diamond terrain Stevens has to offer under his watch and he is the reason that their confidence grew by leaps and bounds. But it was the sense of wanting to explore that seems to drive him and excite them.

They would often come in for lunch after their time with him with faces glowing and their eyes wide with excitement of what they did and what they could do. There have been many people who he has touched and many of them grew up skiing with Franklin as some point in their lives.

I loved talking to him about his adventures in the mountains.

He will be deeply missed.

Alan

Digging through photos and memories to send to the Everett Herald reporter, Rikki King ( rking@heraldnet.com ), deadline is 4pm today for anything that might make it into the story.

The one ski photo I keep coming back to is this one, among many. With a full overnight pack, Franklin skied this slope on the Spearhead like a racer, yet in control on his touring skis. That trip was already priceless, one of the best ever, but now it's irreplaceable.

It's foreign to think that we won't ski with him again.

I did several trips with Franklin way back - we shared close mutual friends who are understandably devastated by the news. 

Last September Franklin became the 10th person to climb Washington's highest 100 peaks on both the Bulger and P400 lists - a total of 109 summits.  I was particularly moved by his presentation at the Bulger party last November - a warm expression of gratitude for the many good friends who accompanied him on this wonderful journey through the mountains he clearly loved so well.   I might also add that Franklin climbed 34 of these peaks in a single year.  But this was typical Franklin style.  Getting after it is an understatement.

RIP, Franklin. 

For anyone interested in knowing more about the accident, here is the NWAC report:

NWAC Report (PDF)  

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