You can read the full tribute to Climbers We Lost in 2024 here.

Stewart Porter, 21, September 22

Stewart was known as one of the most psyched climbers in the Minnesota and Wisconsin climbing community, especially among trad and adventure climbers. He was a familiar and friendly face at Willow River State Park, Robinson Park in Sandstone, Barn Bluff on He Mni Can land, and Palisade Head on the North Shore of Lake Superior. He made it his goal to make friends with everyone he encountered at the crag, and made a positive impact on everyone, no matter how deep the relationship was.

After getting into rock climbing near his hometown of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Stewart quickly became enthralled. In his college freshman year, rumors circulated around the University of Minnesota Climbing Team that the new kid “didn’t believe in rest days.” The team captains got wind and tried to explain the importance of so called “rest and recovery,” but Stewart was too psyched to listen. He quickly progressed through the grades and expanded his skillset into various types of climbing. His latest obsession was crack climbing, which he also picked up with ease.

One of Stewart’s best days out included a simul-climbing link-up in Red Rock of Johnny Vegas, Solar Slab, and Black Orpheus into Eurydice. His favorite climb was Supercrack (5.10) in Indian Creek, which he climbed two weeks before he passed away, on September 22, 2024. He was 21 years old.

Stew managed to fit in an array of other activities in addition to climbing near daily, all while earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Microbiology and a Bachelor’s of Arts in French. He graduated in May 2024, after which he moved to Aspen, Colorado to work at a local bakery and more importantly, to climb. He had no issue with crashing on a couch, or having almost no belongings aside from his rope and rack. He didn’t need anything else to be happy, just as long as he was climbing and spending time with the people he cared for. His signature pose was a double thumbs up with an ear-to-ear grin.

Kind, welcoming, and open-minded to everyone he met, Stew loved to travel, both to climb and to learn about different cultures around the world. Following his summer adventures in Aspen, Stewart planned to teach English in a small French town near world-class climbing. He also shared aspirations with his friends to work as a guide in remote mountain ranges. He didn’t want a nine-to-five job, he wanted to spend his life guided by wherever his family, friends, and climbing took him.

Stewart Porter died in a rappelling accident at Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. He and one of his close friends had summited for the second time of the day as last light encroached. Stewart led the rappels, equipped with his headlamp, and chose to bypass tying stopper knots as he was familiar with the line of descent. Unfortunately, Stewart’s 70-meter rope had been trimmed at one end, and the middle mark had not been repositioned. The uneven lengths of the rope caused Stew to perish. Stewart, we will always miss you. The kindness and passion you brought to our community is unforgettable.

You can read the full tribute to Climbers We Lost in 2024 here.