Former NJ Man a Mt. Rainier Fall Victim
A former New Jersey resident was one of six people killed in an accident on Mount Rainier in Washington State late last month.
Erik Kolb, formally of Scotch Plains and Westfield, was among a group of six cliimbers believed to have fallen 3,300 feet to their death on Liberty Ridge.
“Erik was a smart, gentle and generous man whose warmth and kindness touched the lives of all who knew him,” his family said in a release. “We will miss him sorely every day and he'll always be in our hearts,” Kolb's family wrote in a statement according to the Star-Ledger.
Kolb lived in Brooklyn with his wife Lisa; his parents David and Pamela live in Westfield according to the Star-Ledger.
The group began their climb on Monday, May 26 and was due back on Friday.
The bodies of the victims have not yet been removed from the 12,800 foot high ridge, considered one of more technical and advanced routes on the mountain. The National Park Service says continuously falling ice and rock make it unsafe to put recovery crews on the ground. Aircraft will be used to periodically check on the bodies until conditions improve.
MORE COVERAGE:
More From New Jersey 101.5 FM
