Doug Coombs reportedly killed in avalanche

[DJMingus]

Farewell to Doug and Chad... RIP brothers.

[grizzle6]

Very sad news indeed. Doug was one of my idols. May he rest in peace, and condolences to his friends and family.

Edit: Sad and strange that this is my 1000th post. Wish it would have been a little more on the up side.

[lph]

It is pretty surreal, a living legend, a skiing god, someone who made almost any descent look easy, taken by the mountain.

hard to believe.

[72Twenty]

I posted this in the Todd Jones thread too, but wanted to share it here as well...

I get these little inspiratuional Buddhist emails everyday, and this was todays... really makes me think of Doug and the type of person he was, and will continue to be in our hearts and minds...

"It is not by the amount that giving is productive of reward but rather by the generous impulse behind it. Therefore even so little as a handful of rice flour given with a pure heart becomes something that will bring great reward."

-Vimana Vatthu

[Ski Monkey]

Very, very sad. Godspeed on your journeys to the whiteroom in the sky.

RIP.

[snowfun]

Such a loss, I never met Doug but all the things written here are quite a testimony to a great person, friend, father and skier.

[marshalolson]

doug- you inspired all that you have met, and even more that never had the chance. godspeed.

[gregb22]

R.I.P. to a legend

[wildstyle]

this has not been a good year

My condolences to his friends and family.

[HyRUPz]

Doug - thanks for the time in the Chugach, you changed my life and many others - greatly appreciated.

RIP, God bless.

[Trackhead]

The French officer said the first man fell in a couloir, and when Coombs descended to help him, he fell, too. Coombs fell roughly 1,600 feet, the officer said.

Unforseen ice in the couloir?

[powstash]

^helping out a partner - selfless to the end^ - the ideal ski partner in the true sense of the word

[KillingCokes]

Such a tragic loss. He touched the world with his love of the mountains. He will be missed. He died doing what he loved and he lived a good life. Much better than most.

The world will miss his vision of what's possible.

My sympathies to Emily and David. I can't help but think harder about the consequences of my actions and the impact they could have on my wife and son.

[teambigdave]

very, very sad

[easyrdr]

Very sad My thoughts and prayers are with both your families

[Trackhead]

Doug lost his life when skiing a steep
couloir called polychannel yesterday afternoon. He was skiing with
three other friends when the first skier , Chad fell over a cliff.
Doug skied over to see what had happened when also Doug fell near the
same place. We have not fished the report yet of what really happened
It will be announced later on today to the AMGA.

More insight.

[Evil E]

the sadness and tragedy of his passing are only made easier knowing how brightly his spirit shined and how richly he lived.

I never knew you, yet your example inspired me.

RIP Doug Coombs. Your example of living is a testimony of grace, spirit, and soul.

My deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all of the skiing community. We lost a hero today.

[Atrain505]

RIP Doug and Chad.
Condolences to their families.

Even the best can continue to learn and be humbled.

[skiaholik]

Even the best can continue to learn and be humbled.

Couldn't have said it better myself. When talking to a close friend about this last night who lost someone skiing a while back she just kept trying to put a positive spin on it. She told me that she felt the same way at first as we all do but she finally realized that they died doing something they love and while accidents/tragedies do happen, at least this one occured in the act of what Doug and Chad loved doing most.

Part of them will always remain in the mountains and hopefully the rest of us can hear their words of advice and caution from the grave as we venture out each day.

RIP Doug and Chad.

[alpinepronghorn]

This day feels very heavy.

I never met Doug, I just passed by him in the village now and then. One of the highlights of this winter was watching him share his energy with the Jackson community at the Barry Corbet Film Festival, rappelling out of the rafters to present the films.

It's been a hard year of accidents for those of us in Jackson. Prayers to his wife and son, and to the family and friends of Chad.

[splat]

It appears Doug died in the ultimate act of valor - attempting to rescue someone in his party who had gone down.
I would have expected no less from a hero of his caliber.
I am very deeply saddened by his loss.
May his legend live forever.

[Buster Highmen]

There's another star in the heavens tonight.

Condolences to the family.

[irul&ublo]

It appears Doug died in the ultimate act of valor - attempting to rescue someone in his party who had gone down.
I would have expected no less from a hero of his caliber.
I am very deeply saddened by his loss.
May his legend live forever.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).”

[road trip]

Shocking. Prayers to his family and friends. I've read so much and seen so many images of the man, that he was one that I felt I knew. Sad to see an icon go.

[Crinkle]

there are days when you feel this deep ache in your soul. Knowing that someone that has inspired you to push your own limits and change your ways of thinking passes unexpectedly. True, he died doing what he loves, probably where he wanted to be, on the mountain. Still its unnerving, hearing the best skier in the world died.

I saw this thread at about 4am while I was at work. I came out to my co-workers staring at me, asking me what happened. All I could say was, "I just found out one of my heros died"