Dylan Jarsma, Colorado Visitor, Fell to His Death While Trying to Get Better Photo

Yesterday, we told you about Dylan Schuetz, a gymnast who miraculously survived a 100-foot fall from Saint Mary's Glacier, albeit with gruesome injuries to his legs. Dylan Jarsma, a 22-year-old from Kalamazoo, Michigan, wasn't as fortunate. Authorities say he died near North Clear Creek Falls after losing his footing while...

By Michael Roberts

August 21, 2014

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Yesterday, we told you about Dylan Schuetz, a gymnast who miraculously survived a 100-foot fall from Saint Mary's Glacier, albeit with gruesome injuries to his legs. Dylan Jarsma, a 22-year-old from Kalamazoo, Michigan, wasn't as fortunate. Authorities say he died near North Clear Creek Falls after losing his footing while trying to get a better photograph. Details and additional images below.

Adding to the heartbreak: Jarsma's family appears to be having trouble raising the money needed to transport Dylan's body back to Michigan for a funeral. Hence the creation of the Help Bring Dylan Jarsma Home account and multiple Facebook event notifications touting a fundraiser slated for this weekend.

The assorted pages include images aplenty of Jarma, many of them spotlighting his love of photography. Here's one example....

...and another, with the second shot featuring falls in the background: A profile of Jarma on MiLive.com notes that he spent two years in the Navy, a stint commemorated in this image: On August 11, the MLive account notes, Jarsma and his girlfriend, Taylor Whisman, left Kalamazoo for Colorado. Both planned to enroll at Colorado Springs' Peaks Peak Community College, with Jarsma interested in splitting his focus between training to become a smokejumper and photography courses. These dreams came unraveled on August 15, when Jarsma and Whisman were visiting Rio Grande National Forest. Hinsdale County Sheriff Ron Bruce told the Alamosa Valley Courier that Jarsma had already taken shots of North Clear Creek Falls from assorted angles when he moved to the top "to get a better picture." Shortly thereafter, he slipped, falling what MLive.com estimates at 200 feet to his death.

The Help Bring Dylan Jarsma Home page notes a raffle taking place at Parchmont School District Middle School in Kalamazoo this Sunday, and two separate event reminders -- access them here and here -- detail other events. One describes the get-together as follows:

Donation bake sale to help family pay funeral expenses . If you would like to bake stuff we will be there at 11, or early drop off @ 1805 mckinley parchment mi 49004.Friday thru Sunday. Please help by baking or buying bake goods.also will have a drive by bucket to donate. And raffle for lots of different stuff magician. Movie. Food. Hair cuts etc. Dylan fell taking pic of waterfall in another state family has to pay to return him home and proper service. So let's help get their lovde one home.

Contact the individual pages if you'd like to help. In the meantime, our sincere condolences to Jarsma's friends, family and loved ones.

Send your story tips to the author, Michael Roberts.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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