Water, Rock, Snow & Ice!: Remembering a Fallen Friend!

Mac on Clenndening Creek Photo by Jan Dettmer

I first met Mac Schafers in 2005 when he came to Starthcona Park Lodge to take the Canadian Outdoor Leadership Training course. He was young and motivated. It wasn't long after his COLT course he and I were running rivers all over Vancouver Island and the BC Coast and climbing in BC and Australia.

Mac and I shared a mutual love of exploring and finding new places to play! He and I would go explore little travelled rivers around Gold River (Quatchka Creek FD) and paddled the Upana, Heber, Pamela and Ucona Rivers. We also met up for some rock climbing at Arapilies in Austraila.... where Heidi and I drove the van from Katoomba to Araps about... 1000kms one way when Emma and Mac went to Hawaii to see his family for 2 weeks. Emma was more peeved then Mac..... Mac couldn't be mad, he would commonly see where I was coming from and said I probably would have done the same but asked first... a problem I have.

Upana falls.... Mac won rock, paper, scissors so I had to go first and take the photo.

Mac on the Monkey Canyon section of the Gold River

Mac and I heading to Freda Creek for a HIGH water run in my old Pathfinder

If you knew Mac, you would have experienced his motivation, huge smile, his legendary hug and thoughtful questions and answers. He was commonly the first person to volunteer to help and very rarely wanted or expected anything in return.

Mac lived life to the fullest and was working to make the world a better place through working with Solar and Renewable Energies. As well as making the people around him better with all his positive energy.

He alway told me when I got back from working with NOLS or an adventure I psyched him up to get out there and play. So Mac all my adventures are dedicated to you and I will strive to carry your energy with me throughout them and life.

I love you Mac and treasure all our time and adventures together, I'm so sad it had to end so soon.