The climbing community lost one of its brightest lights on March 21, 2019.  Aidan Silitch, a beloved son, friend, and climbing partner, passed away while ski mountaineering in Chamonix, France. 

Aidan was an incredibly happy kid, with lots of energy, who had a unique passion for competitive climbing.  As a team member, one of Aidan's most defining qualities was his excitement to share the sport that he loved with everybody, regardless of age or experience.  At 17 years old, Aidan had become a true mentor to many of the younger climbers on The Cliffs Vikings climbing team. 

With this in mind, the Silitch family has decided to set up a sponsorship fund and foundation in Aidan's honor.  The goal of the fund is to provide any kid, regardless of financial ability, the chance to discover and grow in the sport that Aidan loved so much.  The funds will be used in a variety of ways to get young climbers involved with competitive climbing, including sending kids to competitions, providing funds to participate on a climbing team, and helping pay for necessary gear.  We will be initially collecting funds here and will be using them to start a permanent foundation in Aidan's name.

Aidan embodied so much of what makes the sport of climbing great.  He was an incredible athlete, an excited outdoorsman, a trusted friend, and a supportive partner.  He was constantly looking for new ways to push the limits of his climbing.  We hope that through this fund, we are able to provide others with the opportunity to nurture those qualities in themselves.