When it came to safety in the mountains, Shafiq Noorani was meticulous.
He emphasized the importance of slowing down to avoid injury when he taught his friends how to rock climb. And when someone was hiking slower than everyone else and lagging behind, Noorani would stay back to make sure they were OK.
It's Noorani's careful nature that's making his death in the mountains of Colorado so much more unfathomable to his huge network of friends and family, who live across the globe from California to Nepal. Noorani, 52, died on New Year's Eve when he fell hundreds of feet to his death on a mountain 50 miles west of Denver known as The Citadel.
He was particularly drawn to Nepal and California's Sierra Nevada range, known for Yosemite National Park, Mount Whitney, and for being John Muir's stomping grounds.
Noorani's death is a tragic reminder that no matter the experience, no matter the fancy gear, no matter the precautions, disaster can strike anyone when they're in the mountains. It also shows just how much can be lost in a split second.
