In a heartbreaking incident in Nepal, American adventure athlete Michael Gardner has been reported dead following a mountain climbing mishap. Hailing from Colorado, the 32-year-old mountaineer's life was tragically cut short on Monday during an expedition on Nepal's Jannu East mountain, as confirmed by Gardner's sponsor, Arc'teryx, in a somber Instagram post.
According to the outdoor apparel giant, Sam Hennessey, Gardner's longtime climbing partner, survived the ill-fated climb.
As reported by Climbing Magazine, Gardner's fatal fall occurred in Nepal’s Kangchenjunga region while he and Hennessey were attempting a new route up the North Face. After the incident, Hennessey managed to descend the route, joining forces with a French team to complete the expedition. Despite their exhaustive search for Gardner, they only found some of his belongings and clothing. An additional drone search also proved fruitless.
This was Hennessey's third attempt at conquering the north face of Jannu East, and his second expedition with Gardner, as per the French mountain outlet Alpine Mag.
Gardner, born in 1991 in Ridgway, Colorado, was a second generation mountain guide, having been mentored by his father, George Gardner. However, a climbing accident in 2008 took George's life, marking a pivotal moment that altered Michael's perspective towards the mountains. This incident reportedly shaped his path moving forward. George's fatal fall occurred during a solo climb of the Grand Teton, as reported by Climbing Magazine.
Michael Gardner is survived by his mother, Colleen, and sister, Megan. The late climber was remembered fondly by Arc'teryx in a tribute post where they described him as an all-around adventurer and a 'true climber's climber', who was enthusiastic, humble, and driven by pure motivations to push his sport's boundaries with respect to its traditions.