Will Stanhope, a pioneering Canadian free solo climber, has died after a fall on the Stawamus Chief, a 700-metre granite cliff overlooking Squamish, British Columbia. The 39-year-old suffered a severe head injury after falling on a traditional route known as Rutabaga, according to a statement shared Friday on his Instagram account by his family. He died on Thursday, April 24, 2025, ten days after the fall.
A Life of Passion and Courage
“It is with shattered hearts that we share the news that our beloved Will passed away yesterday,” the family’s post reads. “Will lived with a passion and courage that most of us only dream of. He had a prodigious memory and great stories. He was a kind and gentle man with a fantastic sense of humour. The rock was his home, and the climbing community was his family.”
B.C. Emergency Health Services received the emergency call approximately 3 p.m. Thursday on the Stawamus Chief. An ambulance with primary care paramedics and an advanced care paramedic responded. Stanhope was transported to hospital in serious but stable condition, said spokesperson Brian Twaites. The Squamish Chief reported the incident involved at least a 20-metre descent, according to Squamish Search and Rescue.
Remembered by Friends and Fellow Climbers
Friend and fellow climber Michael Pang said Saturday: “Will was one of the kindest and most humble people I know. His passing is a huge loss for the climbing community and the world at large.” Pang added, “Whenever I ran into him in Squamish or Bishop Creek or Indian Creek he would stop and take the time to catch up. He always invited me to rope up with him, even though we both knew I couldn’t keep up with him as strong as he was.”
A Career of First Ascents and Free Solos
Stanhope was widely known for his expertise in free solo climbing, a style that involves climbing without ropes or safety gear. He worked as a rock guide with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. Over his career, he ticked off a long list of first ascents and free solos on major alpine routes across British Columbia, Yosemite, and Patagonia. Notable achievements include the first free ascent of The Prow on the Stawamus Chief in 2007 and a difficult new route on the Chief in 2021, which he named Heavy Fuel in the Western Dihedrals.
Stanhope previously told Postmedia that he would rise early to free solo routes up the global mecca of the Chief before starting his job as a climbing guide. He started climbing at age nine, introduced by his father at The Edge Climbing Centre in North Vancouver. At 14, he took up free soloing. “I loved it from the word go,” Stanhope said. “By the time I was in my teens, my friends and I were hitching up the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Squamish, begging older climbers for rides.”
Safety Philosophy
One of his key rules was never to free solo at the maximum of his abilities. Closely tied to that was a commitment to always be able to descend if conditions were difficult during an ascent. “I’m not climbing at my physical limit without a rope,” he said in 2014. “And I don’t go up somewhere I can’t climb down. I have fudged that a little bit but, for the most part, that’s your escape.” Stanhope said at the time his parents worried about him but remained supportive. In a video filmed about a decade ago, the climber described what it feels like reaching the top of the mountain: “I’m looking between my legs, seeing a whole bunch of air and Howe Sound, and I’m just thinking — this is the coolest spot to be.”
Impact on the Climbing Community
It is not the first fatality on the popular Squamish mountain. In August 2019, two climbers died within six weeks on the mountain, including a 33-year-old who fell around 200 metres on the Angel’s Crest route and another who fell 30 metres on the Grand Wall. Condolences have poured in on social media, with fellow climbers and coaches remembering his kindness and passion for the sport. Others said he had been an early inspiration in their own climbing journeys. A celebration of life for Stanhope is expected to be held in Squamish later this spring, according to the family.
