Puja

Today we are in kumjung in the Khumbu.  Obie and i are near the end of our trip, having left Scott at Everest Base camp a few days ago.  We only heard about the death of Craig last night.  It was hard to decide what to do, whether to return urgently to the US.  It is complicated by the fact that Obie (6) and I are still 1.5 days walk to lukla airport then 36 hours travel back to Utah.

So we decided to have a puja for Craig here in the Himalayas.  We went up to the kumjung monastery to find that it is a special day and that 50 Lamas were here for a special puja to bless the village.  We went into the Monastery and listened to the Lamas chanting.  I showed Craig's photo (on the iPad) to the Rinpoche - or head Lama - and he asked for Craig's name and said he would include him in the puja.  This means that his soul will be purified and I feel fortunate to be here on such an auspicious day.  Especially after trying to decide all night what to do because the logistics of leaving early would be complicated.  On the same day Scott's team was performing their puja for luck and health on Sagamatha/Mt Everest.  The visiting Lama also included Craig in his prayers.

Craig has been my friend for 10 years.  I met him when he was working at BD in warranty.  Early on we taught an avalanche class together with Kowboy.  We ended up teaching together a lot and became really good friends.  He is 9 years younger than me but had maturity beyond his years.  My favorite story is us working together on an Avy 1 in march 2006 and driving down the canyon together discussing children.  He was not yet 30 but I was nearly 37 so felt like the clock was ticking.  We and our spouses (Renae and Scott) seemed on the same page that we'd wait.  The classic thing was that both Renae and I were already pregnant and Kaya and Obie are only 2 weeks apart in age.

Craig was intense and passionate about everything he did.  We had lots of great chats.  The work and the kids connected us and I became friends with Renae as did Scott. We started to do family camping trips in our VW vans and dinner parties with heaps of wine.  It seemed like we had so much in common and always had plans for more trips.  Craig was practical like Scott.  Craig ripped out our kitchen wall when Scott was on everest in 2010.  He and Scott coordinated so that Scott did the finishing work after he got back.  It was perfect.  I am happy that we have a piece of Craig in our house!

I have lost many friends in the mountains but Craig's death is particularly devastating because he was in my life a lot in recent years and we had become really good friends with a lot of mutual respect.  We would communicate even when I was in NZ and we had been figuring out how to get the Power-Pattersons to come and join us there for a season.

In the confusion of such a senseless loss, at least it feels appropriate to farewell him in two parts of the Himalaya on an auspicious day in the village where they call Sir Ed Hillary 'our father'.  A place that i am sure Craig would have loved to visit and where a learned Monk has played a part in freeing his spirit.

Kia Kaha

Anna Keeling, Scott and Obie Simper