A screenshot of Michael Gardner’s Instagram account. A Colorado mountain climber fell to his death while descending the Jannu East peak in Nepal this month, during a third attempt at establishing a route on the peak’s north face. A tribute to Michael Gardner published by the American Alpine Club said the 32-year-old was widely respected among his fellow alpinists for his “empathy, enthusiasm, dedication to the craft of climbing, pure motivations and lack of ego.” “His quiet pursuit of the mountains on his own terms means his legacy is not flashy but found in traces and in the background — he was climbing and skiing for the sake of the craft, not for recognition,” the organization wrote. Gardner was born in Ridgway and spent his childhood shadowing his father, George, on climbing expeditions around the world, according to Arc’teryx, an outdoor clothing brand that sponsored Gardner and announced his death on social media Oct.