For All Of Us

For All of Us
by Camus Key

This event marks a point in time where we can look around us and say, the world is
in a beautiful state.  Our community is bound together with love and compassion.  Our
parents raised a generation of children whose ability and desire to seek new heights leads us
on the ultimate adventure.  The direction of this adventure however, is uncertain, because
the number of paths we can choose is boundless.  Yet we go forward in all our different
directions, and in this process become entangled into a fabric of humanity and nature and
life.

When we consider Mason and we consider Mark, we know how real theses threads of
life are, linking us all together, now and forever.  Today represents an extremely strong bond
in our fabric that will continue to support us, and re-entangles us so that we go forward with
more fortitude.  Thus they live on with us and help in all that we accomplish, big or small.

If they were here today their advice would be:  dream as big as you can and go for it wholeheartedly.  When we follow their lead without fear of the obstacles we will encounter, they live on with us.

Dreamin’ big with you,
Camas

It's A Mad World: Words from Fellow Climber At El Cap

http://madaleine.wordpress.com/tag/mason-robison/

Words from Rob Ford

Hangin’ with Mason was like takin’ down a shot of good tequila. It burns goin down, it wakes you up, it makes you cowboy up, it gives you a killer buzz and ready or not here’s another shot.

I always felt like I was seeing stars when I was in Mason’s presence, like I was standing on my head on some crazy mountain peak, seeing the world upside down. He was a mad one, one who I came to Montana to meet. He told me one night around a bonfire after the bars closed in Bigfork on a warm summer night in July that we were going to run up to Aeneas peak because it was a full moon and it was the perfect thing to do. I just shambled after him up the steep switchbacks at 3 am in his old mountaineer boots which he insisted I keep, all the while he shouted at me that every day is an opportunity to get stronger and build endurance and stamina and “HOW YA DOIN BACK THERE BOB!!” When we stood at the top and just stared at the huge yellow moon for a long time, he didn’t say anything, just smiled at me and nodded.

Rumblin down the Jewel Basin road in Big Red, he shouted over the engine noise that I need to quit my obsolete job of teaching English at the high school and join him in making some real money doing a real trade, that he would teach me everything he knows and we’ll go on mountain expeditions. “IT’S TIME TO STOP LYING TO YOURSELF BOB AND START LIVING!!” I just stared at this mountain man lunatic and all of the dust of the earth in his red truck, his calloused rock climbing hands, one steering the wheel, one handing me a cold Kokanee and I started seeing stars. All I could think then and still today was “He’s right, he’s right, he’s right – ahhhhhhh” But Mason was a one-of-a-kind and I knew I could not keep up with him.

For me he was one of the mad ones that Jack Kerouac wrote about, one who I would chase after because he was interesting as hell, one who was made to live, mad to talk, desirous of everything at the same time, one who never yawns or says a commonplace thing, but burns, burns, burns like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight and everybody goes ‘AWWWWWWWWW’ – that was Mason for me. 

I can hear his contagious laugh in my head right now and I only wish that I could have more time with such a talented free spirit. He had a truly unique and courageous philosophy of life that I feel blessed to have witnessed.

By the way Mason was quite a head-turner and indeed he turned my wife Ansley’s head. I should have been green with envy when she talked about handsome, handsome, handsome Mason and I think she saw stars. But I could not help but just nod my head vigorously and agree with her and cherish any opportunity to daydream about being with Mason Robison.

-Rob Ford

The Freest Mason

The Freest Mason

   (For Mason the Rock Climbing Mason)

I know a Mason, 

Whose Soul is Free.

His Masonic Temple, 

The Stone and the Sky.

His Guild Ascension, 

His Song the Eagle's Cry.

The Book of Knowledge, 

That he carries Nigh,

Is the Beauty he Builds, 

And the Mountaintop High.

He is the Stone.

And the Stone is his Guide.

Between Heaven and Earth,

Inspiration Collides.

With the Lightning and Thunder, 

With the Wind in the Heights.

In this Refuge of Freedom, 

His Spirit takes Flight.

Written in Stone, 

In the deep of the Night.

As you’re warmed by his Hearth, 

By the Fireside Light.

Look deep in the Stone and the Free Mason's Life.

On top of the Summit,

His Freedom is Life.

                                               (From your friend Nate Wilcoxen)

Mason's Words

Words from Mason Robison's climbing journal, Dec. 17 1994

I look at climbing and wonder why I am so fascinated with this sport.

Is it the challenge? The hard times or good times?

The goals I want to accomplish? The buds I hang with?

What is it about climbing that has me so hooked?

It's quite crazy that it is so important, 

although without it, I'd be lost.

Or at least it seems that way.

I guess it's all of the above, and then some.

Remembering Mason

Anyone who has met Mason knows what a joy he was to be around. He had pure enthusiasm in most everything he did. This is a place to share stories, leave messages for his family, post his favorite songs, post pictures and more. We love Mason and will never forget the positive force that encompassed everything he stood for. He inspired us all to live life to the fullest, and always go for our wildest dreams, whatever those may be. We will carry your passion for life in our hearts forever Mason and will never forget the wonder that you are.