Aaron James Livingston

Aaron James Livingston passed away on Sept. 4, 2023, at Black Wall, a rock formation overlooking Donner Lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California doing what he loved most, rock climbing. He was 32 years old. Aaron was a certified mountain guide and an @americanalpinejournal (AAJ) contributor, Live Your Dream Grant recipient, and AAC member. His most notable AAJ articles are https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201215816 and https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201216064 . Said the American Alpine Journal, “Reading Aaron's contributions to the AAJ, you get the sense of a climber who was classically understated, purely motivated, and intensely loyal to his partners.” Aaron has been memorialized in Climbing magazine, https://www.climbing.com/people/remembering-aaron-livingston/

Aaron was born on February 27, 1991, to parents James Tracy Livingston and Lori Ann Halling Livingston. As a young boy Aaron loved the outdoors with his family. Camping, hiking, mountain biking, skiing, and snowboarding were among his favorite activities. After graduating from high school in 2009, Aaron discovered rock climbing, a sport that provided him a sense of accomplishment, fulfillment, and purpose. Aaron advanced his skills rapidly in the Heber climbing gym. By 2013, Aaron had moved with his close friends Nolan Smythe and Kyler McDonald to Moab, UT. Aaron worked at local outdoor gear shops, provided zip line tours, chased hot air balloons, and painted radio towers to fund his adventures. Eventually he would assist rope swing, and high line rigging for friends and media production companies. His climbing abilities accelerated as he developed advanced skills in climbing multi pitch, complex cliff routes and towers. For every tower in the region, Aaron had been to the top; from Castleton to Fisher to Convent, he sought out the difficult climbing routes and became an expert finger crack climber on epic routes like “Winner Takes All”. In 2018 he climbed 5 towers in a day. When not working, Aaron shared his love of camping and climbing, bonding with friends at his favorite climbing locations such as Indian Creek and on crack routes such as “Burl Dog”. He also learned skydiving with the goal of becoming a base jumper. Meanwhile he expanded his repertoire into mountaineering and began preparing himself for multi-day, big wall ascents.

In the summer of 2018, Aaron became a professional climbing and mountaineering guide with San Juan Mountain Guides in Ouray, Colorado. Said Aaron,
“I get to deliver smiles and powerful experiences for a living. I couldn't imagine a cooler job than taking people into the mountains to connect with nature and each other. It gives me so much fulfillment to help driven climbers work towards their goals. Teaching people new skills, especially those who are experienced climbers, is probably my favorite part of the job. Tears, blood, and skin were shed in the pursuit of greatness.”

The winter of 2019, Aaron developed ice climbing skills, which he applied to teaching at the Ouray Ice Park and by leading trips into the local mountains. He also had his first experience guiding big walls on the glaciers of the Central Alaska Range and found joy in becoming an expert backcountry ski guide into avalanche high country. To quote Aaron,
“I’m exceedingly happy to find joy again in the simplicity of skiing, to simply enjoy time in the mountains with friends.”

His favorite adventures also included guiding summer expedition trips and climbs into the San Juans as well as leading big wall trips in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. During this time, Aaron and his climbing partner and best friend Nolan Smythe, developed the skills to enter a small cadre of elite North American climbers ascending technically difficult routes on multi-day walls. Aaron’s favorites were the 3000 feet routes of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. In March 2020, Aaron and Nolan attempted a 5-day ascent of 3707 feet, El Gigante, North America’s tallest wall in Chihuahua, Mexico. Tragedy struck when 1600 feet up, a detached slab fell and severed the rope on Nolan’s lead resulting in his death while Aaron was on belay. Aaron was stranded on the wall until he was rescued two days later. He described the accident in an AAJ article, https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201215967

Aaron kept climbing big walls, bringing Nolan’s ashes everywhere he went and committing himself to becoming one of America’s best big wall climbers. To hone his craft, and be close to the big walls of Yosemite, in the Summer of 2022 Aaron moved to the heart of the Sierra Mountains in Truckee, California and began work as a guide at Alpenglow Expeditions. He started leading client climbs and ski descents on the glaciers of Mt Shasta and teaching local climbing courses. Said Adrean, owner of Alpine Glow, “Aaron Livingston was a key member of our California guide team and an incredible friend, mentor, and human. Aaron lived an impassioned life. He sought beauty and meaningful experiences in the vertical world and loved sharing his passion with others. From the Via Ferrata to a big wall climb in Yosemite, anyone who went on an adventure with Aaron could feel his spirit running high while in the mountains. His love of climbing and stoke for the mountains was infectious. He loved his friends and family deeply, was always the first person to crack a joke in the office, and was a teacher and mentor to all of us at Alpenglow.”

Aaron became an American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) certified guide, easily passing a rigorous program that many fail the first time. Other of his certifications include AMGA Alpine skills and an Ice Instructor Course certification. He was also a premier instructor for Moab crack climbing courses. In his spare time Aaron was making first ascents and attempting record speed climbs. His most notable achievement was an assault on the Salathe wall on El Capitan, aid climbing alone in a day. He would have smashed the record of 21 hours set in 2013, if not for a tangled rope. Aaron described the adventure best,
“I dove into a life goal to solo the Salathe in a day. The Salathe was the first El Cap route I’d ever climbed. I was with Nolan on that trip. So, it was symbolic to do it alone. For years I’ve wondered what it would be like to climb El Cap, alone in a day. Would it even be possible for me? This year I decided to find out. My first attempt ended on pitch 5 after a very close call with rock fall. Yesterday I went for a second attempt. After 22 hours and 34 minutes of non-stop climbing, rappelling, and jugging every single pitch by myself I stood on top of the Salathe Wall. It feels like this season in Yosemite was the culmination of nearly ten years of committing myself to the craft of climbing…I had to dig deeper than I ever have before to realize my dreams.”

Other notable achievements include: First ascent of the 5.13 Creeksmythe in Indian Creek, and at El Capitan a free climb of 5.12d Freerider in a day and a team free ascent of the 5.13a Golden Gate. In Zion National Park, Aaron completed a free climb of the 5.13a Spaceshot, the first free ascent of the 5.13a Skeleton Key, and participated in the first free ascent of the Morphology route on Tucupit in Kolob Canyon. His most satisfying achievement was his placement, along with two friends, of the 5.12 Optimist route on Mt. Hooker, Wind River Range, WY in memory of the late Nolan Smythe. Said Aaron about the Mt Hooker route,
“I’ll always remember the friendships forged and the routes climbed on that mighty wall. A lot of people have found healing and solace there after loss, I had my first steps towards recovery after Nolan’s passing when I went to that wall with @jackson_marvell and @_drew_smith_ . It’s been great to see people enjoying the route we put up for @nolan_smythe”

Despite his elite status as one of North America’s best big wall climbers, Aaron was humble, rarely discussing his achievements. His boss, Logan Talbott at Alpenglow Expeditions put it best, “For raw climbing talent, Aaron easily took the top spot on the team.”

Aaron loved and lived life to the fullest by surrounding himself with the people he loved! To quote Aaron:
“Keep your loved ones close. Tell people they inspire you. Tell people you love them as often as you can. Tell them how much they really mean to you whenever you get the chance. Our time is limited. And you need to take every chance you have to tell someone how special they are to you. Even if they already know.”

Aaron is preceded in death by his grandparents James Wallace Livingston, Shirley Ann Pickens, Annette Denton Livingston (step grandmother), and best friends and climbing partners Nolan Smythe, Andrew Plagens, and Mason Stansfield. He is survived by his parents James Tracy Livingston, Lori Ann Halling Livingston, Sisters Tara Shirley Livingston (Shilo Parkin), Whitney Diane Livingston Penuelas (Efrain Penuelas), Grandfather Reed Denton Halling (Geri Halling), Diane Nelson Mantlo (Richard Mantlo) as well as many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

May the memories of Aaron's kind spirit linger in the hearts of his family and friends for the rest of their days. Keep climbing Aaron, we love you.