04-07-2025
'Most beautiful person': Dozens hike to honour woman killed in rockfall
Dozens walked through Calgary's Weaselhead Natural Area Thursday night to celebrate the life of Jutta Hinrichs, who was killed last month in a rockslide in Banff National Park.
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More than 100 people hiked through the wooded area straddling the Glenmore Reservoir and Elbow River, a tribute to the esteem the 70-year-old Calgarian was held and her love of nature, said event co-organizer Tracy Aiello.
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'We are honouring her by walking together to share memories and have some quiet time in solidarity,' said Aiello.
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'She was the most beautiful person all of us ever knew — she never had a bad thing to say about anyone.'
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Hinrichs was killed when she was caught in a rockfall while hiking at Bow Glacier Falls, 40 kilometres north of Lake Louise on June 19.
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Also dying in the incident was Moroccan emigre and Surrey, B.C., resident Hamza Benhilal, 33, while 13 others were injured or evacuated from the area overlooking scenic Bow Lake.
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On Thursday evening, hikers passed around a photo album containing images of Hinrichs, who was an avid hiker and a much-respected occupational therapist.
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'It was such a sudden loss,' said Aiello.
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An online invitation page for the hike offered to Hinrich's Slow and Steady Hikers group included a photo of the Calgarian gently admiring alpacas during a recent visit to Peru.
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'We hope this (walk) brings heart-healing to some and/or an opportunity to walk and talk it out to others,' it states.
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'Therefore we welcome you to walk quietly in camaraderie with others or visit and chat.'
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That love of animals was reflected in the donations being collected at Weaselhead Thursday benefiting the Calgary Humane Society, to which Hinrichs devoted some of her time.
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