[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 55 (Tuesday, April 17, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S2388]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING DALE JOHNSON

 Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I would like to honor 
the life of an extraordinary Coloradan, Dale L. Johnson, who passed 
away at his Boulder home on February 23, 2012. Known as a legendary 
mountaineer, businessman, writer, environmentalist, and a dear friend 
of mine, Dale taught us all to appreciate life, and to take advantage 
of life's opportunities and challenges especially those on the 
mountain.
  Infamously, one of Dale's early mountain escapades occurred while he 
was a freshman at the University of Colorado. Unsatisfied that the 
Colorado School of Mines had an ``M'' painted into a neighboring 
mountain and that the University of Colorado had no such ``C'' painted 
into the neighboring Flatirons, Dale and his roommates sought to change 
that.
  Under the glow of a full Moon on a mild December night, Dale and his 
friends, equipped with a 4-inch paint brush and 3 gallons of white 
paint, ventured up the Third Flatiron and infamously painted a giant 
white ``C'' into the ridge. While classmates celebrated the prank, the 
local authorities did not find the act amusing. Ultimately, the matter 
was resolved, but the story has never grown old.
  For those of us fortunate enough to have known Dale, we know how 
passionate he was about climbing. In fact, passionate would be an 
understatement. Dale pioneered seven first ascents, including the 
Redgarden Wall in Eldorado Canyon, the Second Buttress of the North 
Face of Hallett's Peak, and the South Face of the Matron.
  While these achievements would suffice for your typical climber, Dale 
wasn't satisfied. Through his life, Dale climbed peaks in New Zealand, 
Peru, Nepal, East Africa, Japan, Italy, and Switzerland. As if his 
worldly travel and climbing achievements were not enough, Dale famously 
climbed the Third Flatiron in Boulder, CO in roller skates.
  After summiting peaks throughout Colorado and the world, Dale honed 
in on his inner businessman, inventing Frostline Kits for climbers. 
With firsthand knowledge of the gear and clothing needs of climbers, 
Dale developed innovative equipment that was durable, lightweight, and 
dependable. The kits were an instant success and delivered a product 
that was previously unavailable to climbers in retail stores.
  Throughout his life, Dale also developed an appreciation for flying. 
He coupled his interest in flight with his love for the environment by 
flying over southern Utah's canyons, mesas, ridges, and buttes during 
the citizens wilderness inventory in the late 1980s to help document 
Utah's wild lands.
  Life is full of challenges and opportunities. Dale taught us all to 
appreciate each and every day and to always strive for something 
higher. He impacted the lives of so many, and I feel lucky to have 
known him and to have called him a friend.

                          ____________________