Honoring those who have given an ultimate sacrifice by escaping to the outdoors
Army Rangers live by a creed. A central tenet to the Ranger Creed is to never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of our enemies. As such, we carry our fallen both literally and figuratively, because those we have lost leave wounds that never heal. As a way of coping with the psychological wounds, we wear the memorial bracelets of our fallen brothers.
While climbing in Rocky Mountain National Park several years ago, I captured a photograph of the bracelet of a fallen Ranger, Tim Brenneman, atop an ice axe on the summit. He was a brother to me, and the pain of his loss had persisted many years after his passing. That simple act facilitated a sense of catharsis in a way that I had not experienced prior. Since that day I have been taking similar photographs from the summits of other mountains.
The act has evolved into a project called The 75th Ranger Regiment Altitude Project. The purpose is to honor the fallen Rangers of the 75th Ranger Regiment by climbing all fifty-eight of Colorado’s named 14,000-foot peaks, as well as several other objectives. The intent is to memorialize our fallen brothers and to keep their memories alive as well. Hopefully, this act will give those who knew and loved the fallen the same sense of closure I had in Rocky Mountain National Park that day.
To give this project intrinsic meaning, my goal is to publish a book in their honor and have 100% of the net proceeds go towards non-profit organizations that support veterans and Gold Star Families.
My hope is that by publishing a selection of photographs I have captured in the process of this project it will bring awareness and keep alive the memory of these gallant Rangers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. As Colonel William O. Darby so eloquently put it, “…our hearts swell with pride to have fought alongside such valiant men. They will never be considered dead because they live with us in spirit.”
To follow the journey and support this cause, please visit www.rrap.org.
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