| UI sophomore remembered as a quiet climber |
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| Written by By Jeremy Castillo - Summer Arg | ||||
| Monday, 02 July 2007 | ||||
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Family and friends remember Austin Hanchey, a University of Idaho sophomore, as a quiet kid who loved to climb. The 20-year-old had traveled to New Zealand for a semester to pursue that passion, and to study at Lincoln University. Just before graduation, Hanchey, a wildlife resources major, died in May during a climb of New Zealand’s Mouth Aspiring. When the U.S. Counselate called about Austin's passing, his mother, Faith, picked up the phone. "I was in disbelief," she said, recalling how she felt receiving the news. "I thought, 'This can't be right.'" Austin’s father Craig added, "No parent wants to believe it. It took a while for it to sink in. The president of Lincoln University called a few hours later offering condolences." Despite the tragic news, Faith thanks Jesse Kappmeyer, who made a perilous walk to get help after the 400-meter fall that took Hanchey's life and injured himself and third climbing partner Michael Gavillot. Before making the trip, Hanchey was excited to see a new place with plenty of climbing spots, and had made an easy transition to life abroad, Faith said. "When the opportunity (to study abroad) came up, he took it," she said. "He liked to travel. He got the chance to go and liked that he didn't have to learn a foreign language." Craig added, "He wanted to see a different part of the world (and picked) New Zealand in particular because he saw pictures and saw climbing and hiking opportunities." During his semester down under, Hanchey found places to climb everywhere. "I visited in New Zealand in the middle of April with (family)," Faith said. "Austin was our personal tour guide. He took us to a field with boulders all over, not too tall or hard to climb. Austin said it wasn't how tall they were but finding the hardest way up." Craig said that was typical of his son's mindset — finding a challenge in everything and not taking shortcuts. At 14, Hanchey became an Eagle Scout and was later elected into the Order of the Arrow. He continued to be active in the Boy Scouts as a camp counselor. Originally from Fairview, Tenn., a suburb of Nashville, Hanchey came to UI for its natural resources programs and other splendors of the state — "whitewater, climbing and fewer people," Faith said. Hanchey took several excursions to climbing spots in Moscow's surrounding areas--Coeur d'Alene, McCall and parts of Washington, said Alton Campbell, former associate dean of the College of Natural Resources. During his year and a half at UI, Hanchey became friends with Campbell, going on retreats and hikes and having talks about life, in person and through e-mail — 140 messages from Hanchey sit in Campbell's files. Campbell appeared at two of Hanchey's memorial services. One was held in the CNR residence hall in the Living Learning Community, where Hanchey lived during his year and a half at UI and acquired the nickname “Tennessee.” “What more is there to say about Austin, other than he lived life,” said Crystal Dannar, one of Hanchey’s hallmates. “He didn’t merely exist or go through the motions of daily routines, he sought life out like an adventure about to get away.” His other memorial was held at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in Fairview. Attending the second service meant missing UI's graduation ceremonies, but Campbell went anyway because he felt representing the school to Hanchey's family came first. "It was important that someone be there from this part of Austin's life," Campbell said. While Hanchey didn't live to walk the line as a CNR graduate, two years away, he was honored in this year's ceremony with ribbons pinned to students' robes. His memory is carried on elsewhere. In Fairview, Jessica Anderson, one of Hanchey's high school classmates, set up at a donation box at The Tool Box, a hardware store. His sister, Claire, created austinhanchey.net, a Web site honoring him with pictures, a biography and notes from friends and loved ones. There is talk of having a permanent tribute to Hanchey on UI's campus come fall. The most likely option is a picture of a mountain in the CNR house, but Campbell said that's in the discussion phase as of now. Craig and Faith said they're doing everything they can to start a scholarship in their son's name to be offered through CNR. While Hanchey had less rugged interests, such as chess, teaching and math, the outdoors — in any state — was where he felt most comfortable. Craig said Austin loved the northwestern part of the United States, particularly Colorado, Idaho and Montana. He kayaked and canoed in Idaho's rivers and spent nine weeks in Alaska with the National Outdoor Leadership School, being trained in wildlife survival and learning a lot about himself. That same wanderlust drew him to New Zealand as well. Hanchey's travels are why Campbell referred to him as a "pilgrim." Campbell said Hanchey didn't have concrete plans for after college, no firm goal for his degree, but was leaning towards outdoors leadership and education. The memories of Austin are still numerous for Craig and Faith, but a snapshot of Austin as a toddler reminded Craig of his son's early love affair with heights. "We found a picture and it dawned us that when Austin was two years old, he was climbing trees," he said. "It wasn't too tall, maybe four or five feet, but it showed Austin always had an interest in climbing. On a lot of vacations, we had to get him off of things he wasn't supposed to be on." More than a few will remember Hanchey’s passion for adventure and for climbing, but his mother, father and younger sister will remember much more. "Last year on Mother's Day," Craig said. "He had finals (the week before) and it's a three to four day drive to Tennessee. He said it was unlikely he'd get back but he told me he'd try to make it. He left right after his last test, drove the long three days, and surprised Faith in the middle of that Sunday afternoon."  Add as favorites (139) | Views: 1767
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