On Thursday, April 23rd, Hannes Müllegger and friends Chris and Dominik started an eleven-day ski traverse on the Compton Neve, North of Powell River in British Columbia. They were treated to perfect weather and had a great day of skiing. Tragically, Hannes fell into a hidden crevasse as they approached their camp at the end of the first day. Despite incredible efforts by his friends and the fast response by the rescue services, Hannes did not regain consciousness. More information about the accident and rescue efforts can be found on the North Shore Search and Rescue webpage, and at CTV.ca.

A memorial gathering will be held for Hannes on Saturday, May 2nd, at the Summit Outdoor Education Centre in the Squamish River Valley. All of Hannes' friends are welcome to attend. The event will begin in early afternoon (around 13h). Some refreshments will be provided, but please consider bringing some food or beverages to share, potluck-style. For those coming from further away, it will be possible to camp at the site, or you can arrange accommodation in Squamish. Please see the links on the right for more details, which will be updated as more information becomes available.

Hannes had the unique ability to connect with and inspire people through all kinds of activities and experiences. Hannes was a force to be reckoned with in the mountains - whether on skis or while climbing - and had been a North Shore Search and Rescue volunteer for two years. He was equally at home in the city. He played volleyball in all seasons, and brewed excellent beer that he loved to share. Perhaps less known to his outdoor-enthusiast friends, Hannes was also an outstanding scientist. Since arriving in Vancouver, he was a researcher in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and most recently worked as a senior protein engineer at Zymeworks in Vancouver.

The memorial gathering is intended to be an opportunity for all of those who knew Hannes to come together to celebrate his life and accomplishments. Please bring your memories to share. You can send special photographs of Hannes to rememberinghannes@gmail.com, and they will be compiled to for the memorial. In lieu of gifts or flowers, a foundation will be set up in Hannes' memory, and you are encouraged to consider donating when it has been established. Information on how to donate will be available at the memorial.

Hannes' friends and family would like to express their gratitude to everyone involved in the rescue efforts.