Jim Keating

James Shearer Keating was born in March, 1956, and left this world in September, 2024.

Descendent of a pioneering California family that crossed the plains in a wagon train to Marin County in 1862, he grew up in San Rafael and attended Columbia College in Sonora. He worked as a a ski patrolman at Mt Reba ski area in Alpine County and spent a season working on climber rescues out of Yosemite's Tuolumne Meadows. He then settled on the east side of the Sierra in the Bishop area and worked as a builder for many years, well known for his talent as a finish carpenter. Jim both designed and built his own homes.

Adept and skilled at everything he put his mind to, he was an accomplished outdoorsman, whether climbing a wall in Yosemite, camouflaged in a duck blind, or deer hunting including processing the deer and barbecuing venison steaks to the perfect tenderness and seasoning.

Jim loved climbing in Tuolumne and the High Sierra. An accomplished ski mountaineer, in the winter of 1979 Jim and his buddy Claude traversed the 211 mile John Muir Trail from Mt Whitney to Yosemite Valley in 33 days including 11 days tent-bound due to storms. He also achieved a number of first ascents and traverses.

Jim was his own man. He was extremely bright and known for his self-sufficiency, independent spirit, creativity, integrity and piercing wit. His chef-quality cooking and desserts were legendary. Think "yule log" with handmade edible decorations such as merengue 'mushrooms'. A classic Jim move would be to whip up a succulent creme brulée and finish off the perfect thin caramel crust with a well-used blowtorch grabbed from his carpenter's toolbox.

Fiercely loyal to family and friends, Jim was the proud father of Kaalia Keating of San Leandro. He is also survived by Keating siblings Tom of San Anselmo, Kathleen of San Rafael, Rich of Novato, and Suzy of Santa Cruz, and a number of nieces and nephews.

Jim had found sobriety in the last years of his life and expressed gratitude for the wisdom shared by his AA cohorts in Mammoth Lakes.

We miss you, Jimmy, and send love and light as you head out for your next adventure.