Famed Yosemite climber, 42, who lived in a cave for 13 years dies after falling in Canadian Rockies

A celebrity climber who became the first person to ski Half Dome in Yosemite National Park two years ago has been found dead in the Canadian Rockies.

Zach Milligan, 42, was discovered on February 11 in Banff, Alberta, at the base of a well-known ice climb: the 2,300-foot Polar Circus. His sister Martha confirmed his death.

‘He was a world-class climber, an incredible downhill skier, a gifted musician, a wicked intelligence; he could tell a wildly entertaining story and make almost anything funny,” he wrote on Facebook.

“We will miss him more deeply than there are words.” His brother Austin added: “Not only was he my brother, he was my best friend.”

Jason Torlano (left) first climbed Half Dome as a young man, clinging to the same cables that tens of thousands of visitors do each year to ascend the last steep stretch up the rounded side of the polished granite feature. In February 2021, he and Milligan skied down the mountain.

The couple skied the Half Dome monolith in Yosemite National Park.

Milligan was born in Tucker, Georgia, and his fascination with climbing began when, at age 18, he saw a picture of Half Dome on the wall of a barbershop.

He bought a rope and started climbing, and was soon hooked. He moved to Yosemite and spent 13 years living in a cave in the mountains.

Milligan made a meager living working for a cleaning company and later moved to Montana and ran a flooring business.

He often slept in his truck.

In 2004 he met fellow climber Kristin Anderson: the couple began dating in 2011 and were living in a small house on the west edge of Yosemite at the time of her death.

Milligan, who disliked photos and was averse to publicity, according to his friend Chris Van Leuven, a journalist and fellow climber, suddenly found himself a big name in the climbing world thanks to his ski descent from Half Dome in February 2021.

Milligan made a living working for a cleaning company and living in a cave in Yosemite, spending as much time as possible climbing

Milligan was widely respected as a talented and dedicated climber.

Milligan, born in Georgia, discovered rock climbing at age 18 after seeing a sign in a barbershop

Milligan appears in February 2021 skiing at Half Dome

Torlano is seen skiing the Half Dome in February 2021

Milligan and Jason Torlano completed the descent in five hours, skiing and rappelling back to the bottom of the valley in an unusually daring feat.

The nail-biting video shows the men carefully carving their way into the crunchy snow and using ropes to rappel down various sections of bare rock known as the “slabs of death” below Half Dome’s iconic face.

“If you fall to the left or to the right, you’re definitely dead,” said JT Holmes, a professional skier who is friends with Torlano.

‘If you fall halfway, you have a small chance of not falling to your death, but it’s a maybe.’

Milligan said he initially planned to only film Torlano’s skiing, but decided to make his own descent by gliding carefully on the skis.

He said things quickly turned dangerous when he skied over part of a cable used by climbers and lost control.

Milligan used an ice ax to stop his slide and was able to right himself. “I was just trying to stay in control and stay alive,” Milligan said. “You’re on that backbone and you don’t have a lot of room for error.”

He added: ‘I didn’t have to be in Half Dome. I’m not a real skier. Anderson paid tribute to the spirit of him.

Milligan is pictured with his girlfriend of 12 years, Kristin Anderson.

“Zach is the most interesting person I’ve ever met,” she said. Outside magazine.

“I fell in love with him the moment I met him in 2004 during my first summer in Yosemite.

‘I give Zach credit for showing me what he was capable of; he challenged me and pushed me beyond my perceived limits, and he made me a better climber.’

She added: ‘My favorite days with him were waking up at 3am, running through the high Sierra ridges and enjoying the sun and wind.

“Off the climb, he offered unique perspectives on the world and was always the person you could talk to for hours, even if you called him with nothing to say.”