Kennewick climber known for his zest for life. He died in fall off Oregon glacier
Longtime Kennewick climber David Freepons had an abundance of knowledge and was generous with his time and wisdom, say those who knew him.
“He was selfless and gave whatever time he had to offer,” said Eddie Goss, president of the Inter-Mountain Alpine Club that Freepons had been a part of for many years.
Freepons, 68, fell to his death over the weekend when he slipped and fell off a glacier on Mount Jefferson in Oregon, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
Goss met Freepons in 2016 when he took his first mountaineering class, and Freepons was on Goss’ first climb on Mount Hood the same year.
“Right away he showed he had a zest for life and was a child at heart,” Goss said.
Freepons long involvement in the IMAC club influenced apiring and experienced climbers alike. And taught a number of classes.
Goss said that Freepons, who graduated from Prosser High School, showed an endless amount of patience to climbers who were learning and always found humor in situations.
“Dave was Dave — he would always find a way to make you giggle,” said Goss describing Freeons slipping on a Batman mask during a a Zoom meeting, “Dave is good people, I miss my friend.”
Freepons also led Jason Fidorra of Richland on his first climb on the same trip Goss took up Mount Hood.
“Everytime you were with him, he was happy and had something funny or goofy to say — especially on a longer trip when everyone is getting down or tired,” said Fidorra, who had gone on about seven mountaineering trips with Freepons and another dozen rock-climbing trips.
“I felt like he was really good at living in the moment. When people were cold, hungry and tired, he helped elevate the mood,” he said.
Fidorra said that through classes he taught with Freepons, he saw the man with decades of experience behind him and the skills and technical knowledge to not only help keep himself safe but could implement them with others with less experience.
Fidorra described a past trip where they were leading new climbers across a sheet of ice where the novices were really scared.
“He got them through those hard and scarier parts, and made them feel accomplished,” he said.
Saturday fall
Freepons was climbing Saturday with a group of fellow climbers when he fell several hundred feet off the glacier.
An air ambulance flew to the scene after the group called 911.
According to the sheriff’s department, Freepons slipped on a steep, icy snow-covered slope above 9,000 feet on the southeast side of the central Oregon mountain, which is about 50 miles from Bend.
Life Flight helicopter crews were not able to retrieve his body from the site Saturday because of hazardous conditions in the area, said the sheriff’s department. He slid several hundred feet down the slope.
A four-county recovery effort is being planned for Friday, said Sgt. David Pond, head of search and rescue for Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.
He said that volunteers with mountain rescue units from across Oregon are being organized.
“Most people have enough trouble getting themselves up and on a mountain without having to carry gear,” said Pond, who added that it takes time to mobilize people with enough experience to navigate the terrain while at the same time carrying rescue equipment.
He said after rescue crews reach Freepons’ body, a helicopter will be dispatched to do a pickup via cables, then transport to a vehicle.
This story was originally published July 29, 2020, 6:11 PM.
