Colorado Climber Michael Gardner Dies in Fall on Nepal Mountain at 32: 'Everyone's Favorite Person'

Michael Gardner, an American alpine climber and skier known as "a true climber’s climber," died in a fall on a Nepal mountain this week at age 32.

Gardner's sponsor, clothing company Arc'teryx, shared the news in an Instagram tribute post. According to Climbing Magazine, the avid outdoorsman died in the fall on Jannu East in Nepal’s Kanchenjunga region on Monday, Oct. 7, while attempting a new route up the north face with climbing partner Sam Hennessey. Gardner's Instagram has since been flooded with tributes from loved ones.

USA Today reported, citing Alpine Mag, that it marked Hennessey's third attempt climbing the mountain's north face and second with Gardner. Per the Arc’teryx tribute and Climbing Magazine, Hennessey is now safe, as the magazine reported that he successfully descended the mountain after meeting up with a French team that was also retreating. The outlet also noted that some of Gardner's personal equipment was located, but a search via foot and drone was unsuccessful, noting that the mountain stands at 7,468 meters, or nearly 25,000 feet.

Gardner was a second-generation Exum Guide who was born in Ridgway, Colorado, and lost his father in a climbing accident at 16, his sponsor wrote.

"We knew Mike as everyone’s favorite person. He was curious and loving. He had a smile and way about him that drew you in. He loved sharing knowledge and truly engaging in human interaction," the Arc’teryx tribute read. "A skateboarder, skier, climber, enthusiastic skijorer, writer and mountain guide, he refused to be boxed in by any label and pursued anything that intrigued him."

While the sponsor noted that it "would take pages and pages to list Mike’s accomplishments," it wrote that Gardner was a "true climber's climber" who "will leave a lasting impact on us, and undoubtedly, on our community."

"His motivations were pure; to push the boundaries of sport, and do it with ethics, style and homage to those who came before," Arc’teryx continued. "Mike was an optimist who lived a big, bold life. A life we were honored to witness and be a part of."

"His legacy will be everlasting through the souls he touched and the limits he refused to acknowledge. We send our love and support to Mike’s friends, family and loved ones."

Gardner is survived by his mother Colleen and his sister Megan, according to Climbing Magazine. Olympic snowboarder, Elena Hight, also shared a tribute to Gardner on Instagram featuring images of them kissing and on adventures together, calling their months together short but the days "precious, long and so full."

"We fell in love fast," she wrote. "Faster than either of us realized. Not the lusty type of love though, the deep soul connection type. A kind of love that felt so true and real and other worldly I often asked with complete sincerity, where did you come from?"

"At first we called our meet ups Neverland. Because no matter where we were it felt like magic," she continued. "As we were able to spend more time together Neverland became a life we were just beginning. While we weren’t hiding it we didn’t broadcast it either. It somehow felt more potent to hold onto the magic as it unfolded for us and just be."

As Hight wrote, being loved by Gardner had "truly been the greatest gift I will ever received."

"Thank you for choosing me to be yours. Thank you for showing me what it is supposed to feel like.💚 All the joyful memories we made will keep me going for now.🫶 Shine on Mikey. 💫✨💥⚡️☄️ All gas. No breaks. Til’ the wheels fall off. Forever in Neverland 🤍."

Atomic Skis, an equipment company that Gardner also had tagged in his Instagram bio, shared the news and described him as "a rare energy and a joyful, boundless spirit."

"Every interaction with him felt like a gift, and his love and passion for the mountains were truly infectious," the company wrote. "His accomplishments on skis and on the mountains speak for themselves — he was the ultimate downhill mountaineer."