Member Holly Mauro - 1979-2012 & Memorial Service on 4/14/2012

Holly Mauro
December 26, 1979 - March 27, 2012

A little over a year ago, on April 1, 2011, a young member of the NY Section set off upon an adventure to follow her passion. She left behind friends, New York City, a successful career in corporate real-estate finance, and a cozy home in New Paltz. The plan was to move into her car and climb as much as possible. This adventure was chronicled in the blog “Life After Banking: The Camp 4 Diaries” http://thecamp4diaries.blogspot.com/ .

Holly Mauro had gotten her start in climbing a mere 7 years earlier. A corporate guided ascent of the Grand Teton in the summer of 2004 set her off on a new course in life. Never one to do something in a small way, Holly quickly devoted herself to becoming a skilled and accomplished rock climber. She became a member of the NY Section of the AAC in 2005 and soon expanded from her usual and much loved vacation stomping grounds of Red Rocks, Joshua Tree and Acadia National Parks, to the greater climbing destination of the American west. In 2008, Holly took a temporary break from her job in New York, driving 14,000 miles by herself in four-and-a-half months. During that trip she climbed in Zion, Yosemite, the California Needles, the High Sierras, Devil’s Tower, Smith Rocks, Squamish, Index, the Bugaboos, Lake Louise, Eldorado Canyon, Lumpy Ridge, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Tetons, and City of Rocks. This turned out to be a teaser for the 2011 adventure that was to follow. As sad as we were to have Holly leave NY, we were excited to follow our fellow member on her new adventures. What ensued was a wild ride of climbing, adventure and travel.

Tragically, on April 4, 2012, the following note appeared on Holly's Facebook page: "Holly has left us and the world as we know it, in the beautiful park she loved-Yosemite.  She lived more in her 32 years than most could dream to do in multiple lifetimes. Please celebrate her life by remembering her and choosing in your own lives to love and live your passions."

All of us who knew Holly and shared climbs and times at her house in New Paltz are deeply saddened by this sudden loss. As climbers we share a unique bond as we literally have each other's lives in our hands. Holly was a bright and passionate soul, and she touched many lives on her brief journey. To borrow from other postings … Holly was "like a super nova star...burned brightly and quickly", "a force of nature", "such a Light, always hungry, loved sweets", "alive and radiant", “this Shooting Star of vibrant light passed through a prism and thrown about the room”, “Her presence on this Earth will be missed as the sun has raised up too far to pass her rays through the prism”.

-Written by AAC NYS Member Howard Sebold

There will be a celebration of Holly’s life this Saturday, April 14, at 5:00pm Hosted by Bill & Jen Rhoric 159 Sparkling Ridge Road (off Rt 299) New Paltz, NY

This will be a "pot luck" dinner, but dessert was one of Holly's favorite things, so bring something sweet in addition to real food. Directions can be found here.