Below is a picture of myself and Eliot Kalmbach, on the last night of our NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) outing in Patagonia. We'd be in the Chilean bush for three months (on separate teams), but had managed to bond quite a bit over the course of the semester. Eliot was one of the brightest, most intelligent people I will ever meet. He was a Princeton graduate and had story upon story about his experiences around the world. He was the epitome of a well-traveled & educated man; but, there was also a warmth to him that isn't easy to come by in most people. I remember being enamored by his wealth of knowledge. But more importantly, his genuine gentle spirit seemed to transcend any conversations we had about life, religions, spirituality, politics, etc, etc. On this particular night, it was the first time I had ever heard "Late Night in Zion" by Matisyahu and I remember getting up every 3 minutes to press 'play' again. How fitting of a moment in time and how fitting of a song to remember it by. Talking with Eliot deep in to the Chilean night over hot Yerba was like being in my own personal Zion. It was an unforgettable experience and I am glad I have the photo that captured it.
Eliot died in a mountaineering accident in September of 2009. I don't have much else to say about it, other than I know he was doing something he loved when it happened.
I'll never forget one of his favorite quotes from T.S. Eliot - "Only those who risk going to far, can possibly see how far one can go." This epitomized Eliot Kalmbach.
And here it is, "Late Night in Zion" by Matisyahu.
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