Memorial Services to be Held for Eric Klimt

Eric Klimt, a climber, teacher and videographer from Baltimore, Maryland, passed away in a climbing accident at Zion National Park on March 9. His family remembers him as an adventurer who projected and climbed routes around the globe.

There will be two services for Eric. One at the Klimt's home in Baltimore, Maryland on May 21 and the second at Sierra Schneider's home in Terrebonne, Oregon on June 4. The family invites anyone who wishes to celebrate Eric's life to attend. For further details regarding the services, follow the closed Facebook group "In Memory of Eric Klimt."

"He lived a little outside the box, and we want to figure out how to honor that," Kirstin Klimt, Eric's sister, said. "One of the things Eric was known for was his ability to include everyone."

The Totem Pole (video below) was one example.

Eric's brother, Carl Klimt was washing dishes in Antarctica when he got an email from Eric, inviting him to meet Eric and his friend Matt Ballard in Tasmania, Australia, to climb the 65-meter tall, 4-meter-wide sea stack, the Totem Pole (5.12b, Monks-Mentz 1995).

Carl, Eric, and Matt arrived in their camp at Fortescue Bay in Tasman National Park in March of 2008. The three waited out two days of bad weather and managed to climb the tower on their third and final day. According to Carl, the preparation was memorable because of Eric's uncharacteristic, meticulous planning.

"[Eric] was notorious for packing a leftover hot dog and one liter of water on a 98-degree, 100-percent humidity day in Virginia for two people," Carl Klimt said. In Tasmania, however Eric had researched everything.

Sources: Carl Klimt, Kirstin Klimt, Memorial service invitation by Claudius and Mary Mike Klimt, The Royal Geographical Society, The Crag

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