Walter Kendrick Hotchkiss, Jr.

Walter K. Hotchkiss, Jr. "Climbed his Last Mountain" July 17, 2014. He was the son of Dr. Walter K. Hotchkiss and Marjorie Simmons Hotchkiss born February 27, 1925 in Denver, Colorado. He spent his youth in Brighton, Colorado. He attended high school at Midland School in Los Olivas, California. Walter entered the U. S. Army in June, 1943 serving in ant-aircraft artillery and later as a mortar gunman in the European Theatre. He was discharged from the service May, 1946. Walter later attended college in Florida and Michigan and began his teaching career at the Colorado Academy in Denver, CO. He moved on to Leadville, CO and then to Idaho Springs, CO where he met his wife, Diana. They were married in 1968 and moved to the family home in Buffalo Creek, CO, before returning to Leadville where he retired from his teaching career. They later moved to Alamosa, CO. for his wife's job and after her retirement moved to Fort Collins, CO. Because of his love of the outdoors and the mountains, Walter has hiked more than five thousand miles in his life. He started at a young age hiking in the Lost Park area for several summers. As he got older he hiked 500 miles of the Appalachian Trail and 500 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. This did not satisfy his desire of adventure. He climbed the highest or one of the most famous peaks on four continents except Asia. His highest peak was Aconcagua at just over 23, 000 feet in Argentina. He also climbed many peaks including 52 of the 54 highest peaks and hiked many trails here in Colorado. Walt did several bicycle trips with friends from Canada to Mexico as well as other parts of the country. He did the Ride of the Rockies and several other long trips in Colorado. He enjoyed many boat trips on various rivers in the west and Canada. Another enjoyment was traveling with his wife in other countries. His most memorable trip was a camping trip by truck across Africa from Johannesburg to London with his wife and 18 other people for 5 months in 1976, camping out every night. The campers shared duties of fixing meals, washing dishes and packing the truck. They pushed the truck through muddy roads, over broken bridges, precarious float trips over rivers, and sat out sand storms in the desert. His last major trip was in 2011 on the Amazon River from Manaus, Brazil, up the river which had been a lifelong desire. Walter had a very interesting and great life of 89 years with many close friends and family and will be greatly missed by all. There will be an informal Memorial Service at The Gardens at Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave. in Fort Collins at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, July 26, 2014. Interment will be in the cemetery at The Little Chapel of the Hills in Buffalo Creek, CO. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Colorado Open Lands in care of Bohlender Funeral Chapel, 121 W. Olive, Fort Collins, Colorado 80524.