Todd Skinner died on 25 October 2006 in Yosemite. He apparently died while descending Leaning Tower in Yosemite, but details are not yet available, though a broken belay loop on his harness may be the culprit in this from the SF Chronicle.

October 25, 2006 Highly accomplished free-climber Todd Skinner died Monday while descending the Leaning Tower in Western Yosemite Valley. Skinner was reportedly attempting a free route with climbing partner Jim Hewitt at the time, but information on the cause of the accident is still very limited.

“The investigation is still in its early stages. A lot of the details are yet to be confirmed,” said Scott Gediman, Yosemite National Park spokesman. Gediman, however, was able to report that Skinner was not on an established climbing route but between routes when he fell an estimated 500 to 700 feet.

Todd Skinner was one of the second generation of top climbers, the first being the legends like Tom Frost, John Long, Jim Bridwell, Walt Shipley, the second being Skinner, Paul Piana, Wolfgang Gullich, among many others. The third being only eBomb. Skinner was an extremely well rounded climber and controversial, being a big advocate of bolting and neon tights, but also being the first to explore little known areas - Cape Town and Mali being two that come to mind. His ascent of Trango with Bobby Model and other 'Wyoming cowboys' was documented in National Geographic, the pics inspire me to this day. The dashing Skinner will be missed by the ladies (many stories here) and by all in the climbing community.

Ripped from today's headlines. Some dood's dog, a small dog mind you, as Russells are pretty tiny, went swimming in a Florida canal. Seeing something like this would be like a buffet for an alligator, but the owner bravely rode the alligator like Slim Pickens in Dr. Strangelove and saved his dog.

Terry Weaver is a high school teacher in Lee County, Fla. He said his Jack Russell terrier, Scooter, is his best friend. Scooter went for a swim in a canal close to their home and almost became dinner for the gator. Weaver jumped on the alligator's back and managed to wrestle Scooter away from the reptile. Scooter and Weaver are fine, but both will probably stay out of canals now.

Human interest stories my friend, that's what puts GoBlog in the top ten. Not to be a dick, but if you're in Florida and you see a canal, I would think that chances are, there's an alligator in it, so next time you let your rather stereotypically effeminate dog go for a swim in one, prepare to have it disappear.

As climb_ca likes to point out, there are many dumb ways to leave this life and enter the next, Parkour, free solo climbing, and now, BASE jumping. Unfortunately at the well known festival at the New, a basejumper's chute opened too late and he perished. Click the link, at the left is the video for you twisted folk.

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. - A parachutist who jumped to his death from a bridge during a festival when his chute opened too late was a retired police lieutenant and an outdoor enthusiast, a former colleague said.

Brian Lee Schubert, 66, died of injuries suffered when he hit the water 876 feet below the New River Gorge Bridge during the annual Bridge Day festival on Saturday, said Fayette County Sheriff Bill Laird.

This is a well attended event, with many children present, must be horrifying to see someone die in front of your eyes, and especially the manner in which. Hey, we don't rail against such sports, participants know the inherent risks, but sometimes, I have a hard time imagining what the return is.

Ok, this was from a while back, but Ben Cort fell around 800ft while ice climbing in the Rocky Mountain NP. A broken leg, some cuts, bruises and abrasions, and messed up shoulder - not bad for falling down a 800!! story building.

"Total pandemonium. I was head over heels and I was smacking my face on rocks. Rocks were coming down with me and then this boulder rolled over me a couple times," he said. Members of his party, and others in the area stopped to help him.

So the story says he was ice climbing, which is probably not correct, most likely in a couloir of sorts. Tough guy, his reply about his injuries? He's disappointed that he'll miss ice season and as he puts it, 'I live for ice.'