A Jasper man killed in a rock climbing accident in the mountains Thursday is being remembered as “a timeless wonder of a man filled with talent.”
Steven Stanko, 63, died during an outing with three other people near Leech Lake at the Lost Boys, a rock face about 20 minutes south of Jasper, according to an RCMP news release issued Monday.
Emergency crews arrived at approximately 4 p.m. after receiving a 911 call reporting that a climber had fallen approximately 30 meters, RCMP said. He was pronounced dead a short time later.
“He was a local pioneer in so many fields, like cycling, snowboarding, trail building and rock climbing, establishing new paths, routes and opening doors to the possibilities of what life had to offer in the mountains for new generations of explorers,” Stanko’s business partner of more than 15 years, Dave MacDowell, wrote in a tribute on Facebook Friday.
Stanko co-owned snowboard and bicycle shop Freewheel Cycle in Jasper, which closed in 2018, and was remembered as an adventurous athlete and compassionate community leader.
“I never heard him say a bad word about anybody and was always willing to stop whatever he was doing to listen, without judgement,” MacDowell wrote. “This big heart wasn’t reserved for humans. Steve loved every dog he ever met and would go out of his way to show them.”
He went on to say the biggest part of Stanko’s heart “was reserved for his true love,” his wife Leanne.
MacDowell’s Facebook post inspired a litany of comments describing Stanko as a Jasper legend and offering condolences to his wife and extended family.
“Steve was a true entrepreneur and wasn’t afraid to take calculated risks in business and his life. He was thoughtful in every aspect of how he lived. I always felt that if he was on board, everything would work out fine and usually did,” MacDowell wrote.
RCMP said an investigation has determined that the cause of the fall was an accident.
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