On August 11, 2002 Galen and Barbara Rowell died in a plane crash near their home in Bishop, California. The tragic news came as a shock, and I was filled with sadness when I read the emails and news reports that made their way to my computer the next morning.

Known to many around the world, Galen was one of the most accomplished climbers to ever explore the planet, he completed expeditions on all seven continents and in his forty five years of climbing, racked up over 100 first ascents on rock walls and mountains in places such as California, Alaska, Patagonia, Tibet and Pakistan. 

Of course, Galen was also the world's preeminent adventure and wilderness photographers. His work has appeared in magazines and books worldwide, and his contributions to the world of outdoor photography and his message that we all should work hard to preserve the natural world go unmatched. He is the true father of the modern day adventure photographer, and his ethics, efforts and style have paved the way for me and countless other photographers to make a living photographing the wild lands of the earth and the people who explore them. I know that I speak for a huge number of others when I say that he was one of, if not the biggest influence and mentor in our lives, especially during the time when we were discovering our passions for outdoor photography and entertaining ideas about persuing it as a profession. Perhaps the quote of his that rang the loudest chord in my soul and inspired me the most comes from his 1984 book, "Mountain Light."

"One of the shocking realizations of adult life is that most of us are not fulfilling the most closely held dreams of our youth. Instead of pursuing dreams that were once integral parts of our personalities, we end up in one way or another fulfilling someone else's ideas about who and what we should be, usually at the expense of our creative urges."

Galen and Barbara were also my friends. In 1993, I travelled with them to the region of Mustang, Nepal. At the time, I was a budding photographer, and had yet to make the jump to being a professional. I'd always known them through books and articles, but to get to know them as people was incredibly rewarding. After the trip, we kept up a regular correspondence, and our paths crossed a few more times over the years. The last time I saw Galen and Barbara was at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon right after Christmas three years ago. We ate dinner and shared stories in the cafetieria and then Galen and I went out shooting together early the next morning. I cherish the memories that I have of them and will miss the nonstop energy and wonderful contributions that they made to the world.

Galen's work can be viewed at his website:
www.mountainlight.com