Gene Daniel Has Passed Away

[RollingRock]

From his son:

RIP Eugene S. Daniell III, 5/31/47-12/11/19.

My Dad passed this evening after gradually deteriorating health for several years. No doubt, he would have rather gone out with his Limmer’s on.

When I think back, his happiest years were when he was active in hiking, from AMC WMG Editor, 4000 Ftr Committee Chair, NH Chapter Leader.

I can only hope his spirit will live on in the Whites as it has for many that have come before him.

Enjoy every hike like it was your last!

Gene was my 'go to' AMC hiking leader when I started 45 years ago. He was an inspiration to me and I will always remember him carrying a huge 2 liter pepsi bottle as his beverage of choice. And yes, his route descriptions to the 100 highest was the 'bible' in its day. His legacy lives on with the work he has done for the AMC and with all of us who have known him.

There have been some great tributes to him on this Facebook Thread.

 

[Mike P.]

Thank you RR for posting. My condolences to the Daniell family.

 

[jniehof]

Like many, I never met Gene, but he had a substantial impact on me through the Guide and his leadership on the 4k committee. I know people like to bag on listbagging but it was instrumental to making hiking a regular thing for me.

Unfortunately I can't find the interview from Appalachia awhile back, or the notes in the Centennial celebration of the WMG, but there are a few thoughts in this thread. IIRC he drew up one of the first 3000-footer lists while doing his two years as a conscientious objector. I found his conviction there at least as inspiring as his work in the mountains.

 

[peakbagger]

I met Gene a few times over the years and corresponded with him on a couple of trail related items. I went on what I think was his last labor day hike up to the soon to be "six pack" in the woods near the Eustis area in Maine. He was doing it with his family and young daughteras she was finishing up her NNE 100 highest list. It was obvious that his feet were bothering him.

No doubt he will be missed in the hiking community.

 

[Peakbagr]

I've hiked with Gene, but it's been many many years since then. He was a walking encyclopedia of backcountry knowledge and a first rate companion. My condolences to the Daniell family.

 

[skiguy]

Condolences to Gene's Family. A legend in his own time. Especially when operating on analog was the norm.

 

[wardsgirl]

Gene was an absolute legend. I met him a few times in my tenure as an AMC Trails Committee member. My most memorable interaction, however, was a winter day on Cannon in the 80s when I mentioned to him that I was hiking the winter 4s 'solo.' He mused that a hike was not 'solo' unless I saw no other people on the hike. I've been hiking bizarre routes, obscure trails, and unpopular summits alone ever since. I think of him often on my adventures. He was truly an inspiration. My condolences to his family and friends.

 

[Snowflea]

Gene was such an interesting person! Had the pleasure of hiking with him just twice.

First time was his 1991 Boundary-Whitecap Labor Day weekend hike. (Kennebago Divide and the other Mt. Snow were not yet on the NEHH list.) We stayed at Cathedral Pines Campground, and I remember Gene sleeping in his tiny Ford Festiva.

Second time was about a year later, a large AMC hike to Mt. Dartmouth. I was wearing long, dangly earrings - hey, I was very young! - and Gene asked me to take them off because, since we’d be bushwhacking, they made him uncomfortable.

He was a no-BS person who told you what he thought, and I liked that about him.

 

[ChrisB]

From his son:

RIP Eugene S. Daniell III, 5/31/47-12/11/19.

Sad news. Gene was a true mountain "character" and will live on in New England hiking lore. In a time before technical aids like GPS, RescuLink, Strava or cell phones he forged ahead into the woods armed "only" with compass and map... and often a canned ham! And he was eager to share his hard-won knowledge with others.

I was lucky enough to join him on a Maine Labor Day 100 Highest trip and hike with this legend. Despite failing health, foot problems, diabetes and dehydration he led the group up Whitecap and Boundary. On the long slog back from Boundary via the swath he was visibly sick but kept going... and leading.

We are all better for hiking with and knowing him.

 

[Sanbu]

A memorable photo of Gene with his PKBAGR license plate. My notes for the day read, "Bushwhack in Worcester Range [Vt.] with Gene Daniells, Fall 1978". The pic hid for years among my slides, finally got them digitized. I thought about writing a biographical profile of Gene, never did. Would have entitled it "King of the Hardcore Peakbaggers".

 

[peakbagger]

Great shot, the few hikes I did with him were later in his hiking career when he was carrying a lot more weight.

 

[RollingRock]

Thanks for sharing this great picture of Gene in his younger days. Brings back a lot of good memories and how he got me started in hiking.

 

[skiguy]

A memorable photo of Gene with his PKBAGR license plate. My notes for the day read, "Bushwhack in Worcester Range [Vt.] with Gene Daniells, Fall 1978". The pic hid for years among my slides, finally got them digitized. I thought about writing a biographical profile of Gene, never did. Would have entitled it "King of the Hardcore Peakbaggers".

Now those are some "Hiking" pants! RIP

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

When I sent Gene my list of completed wNEHH peaks for the patch back in the day, I must have mentioned that I was beginning to work on the NH4s grid that got me a four-page, single-spaced typed letter in return imploring me to be more creative and come up with a better hiking objective. I did not realize at the time that he was the first person to complete the grid, which led him later to insist that his name not be listed on the grid completion webpage.

Gene’s peakbagging list development during his two years in prison for conscientious objection to military service reminded me of the Serbian mathematician Milutin Milankovic’s calculations done in prison during the 1930s for variations of the Earth‘s orbit and axIal tilt as an explanation for the 100,000-, 41,000-, and 23,000-year astronomical cycles for climate change.

 

[skiguy]

Now those are some "Hiking" pants! RIP

They definitely did not let him wear those pants every where.

 

[Peakbagr]

Gene used to comment on my license plate when we hiked together. PEAKBAGR, and we'd laugh as to who got it first. LOL. What a guy.