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After the end of his 5th season running
the Vermillion Valley
Ranch, Wiggs died on January 25, 2001 from an apparent
suicide.
Over the last few years Butch has developed solid reputation
among PCT thru-hikers. Many of whom looked forward to a few
relaxing days off at VVR after hiking through the Sierra Mountains.
His presence along the trail will be sorely missed by all
who knew and loved him.
More information can be found in an article in the The
Fresno Bee By Bruce Farris.
Messages from hikers on the PCT-L
Mailing List
From: CMountainDave
Subject: Trail Angel's legacy
My only visit to VVR in 1999 was a continuation of the great
learning lesson I was having on my PCT pilgrimage. Witnessing
the overwhelming generosity of people like Jeff and Donna
Saufley and Butch and Peggy Wiggins made me realize forever
in the basic goodness of mankind. Oh sure there are a few
bad eggs out there but the goodness of the trail angels dissipates
the morning fog of doubt like a hot summer sun and clears
the mind to view the beauty of the Givers. How can any soul
remain cold and hard after being humbled by trail angel generosity?
What a great lesson they taught me.
When I was at VVR I was in the company of Let it Be and his
new found girlfriend Skunk. She was apparently the creative
type and saw Butch welding in his shop. She had a yen to learn
how to weld so she could make works of art with metal. Butch
put some welding gear on her, handed her the welding tools
and gave her instructions for over an hour until she had the
basics down. That night he started the customary VVR bonfire
and I sat there bonding with about a dozen other thru hikers.
Where ever you are Butch thanks for showing me how it ought
to be.
From: Christine Shaw
Subject: Butch
Our warmest thanks to all those wonderful people who grew
up with Butch and made him the caring and warm person we were
honored to know. The Wiggs Family remains the most memorable
trail magic I have experienced in over 6,000 miles of hiking.
The PCT will never be the same. May the happy memories live
forever.
Firefly & Geppetto
JMT '00
From: Luvtobkpk
Subject: Thanks Butch, Peg, Jessica & Mary Ann
It has taken Walt and me this long to be able to get on the
net and add to the comments about Butch's passing. We have
been blessed each of the three times we stopped at VVR from
'97 to '99, each time was more special than the last. When
I became ill in '99, and knew I couldn't make it through the
Sierras and Walt needed to go ahead with our friends, there
was only one place where I could wait for Walt and where he
knew I would be able to get help if I got worse.
After a call to Peg and Butch at VVR, Walt headed back on
the trail with our friends, I headed to VVR with Wendy Sulda
where I was greeted with open arms to await Walt's arrival.
My wait was so much easier because I was treated like family.
Peg and Butch knew I needed to keep busy and they let me help
them out wherever I could. Some of my fondest memories those
6 days were being with Jessica and Mary Ann as they swam on
the lake with the dogs, watching them interact with everyone
and do their studies with Peg or Butch during the "slow" times,
and helping Peg make her famous pies. Nothing will take those
memories away - I just wish there could have been more memories
from future years to hold close to our hearts, but such is
life. VVR will never be the same. Peg, Jessica and Mary Ann,
we love you!
From: Bill
Subject: Butch
I am Butch Wiggs brother and wanted to thank you all for
the thoughtful words and memories you shared about Butch.
Ron Moak was kind enough to send me the posts and when I arrived
back to Virginia today, I sat down and read them all. I know
that Butch loved the hikers and I know that I loved to hear
the stories he would share with me about their visits to VVR.
Thank you again.
Regards,
Bill Wiggs
From: The Dude
Subject: Thank you for Remembering Butch
I think that a memorial would be great. All his work and
dedication to making the VVR a hiker-fiendly place deserves
recognition.
I am not usre wher to put it. The obvious place is at VVR;
but if his family doesn't keep VVR, the new owners would have
to agree.
Just as food for thought, what are others' view on this?
peace,
dude
From: Dusybasin
Subject: Butch Passing
Butch was, indeed, a special person; reading of his death
has saddened my spirit more than I would have first thought.
I live in Florida, and on our 500 miler last year, we stopped
off at VVR for a resupply. Butch not only greeted us as old
friends with his first beer offer, but arranged for my companion
to get down to Fresno for a refit, a trip of no small undertaking.
Sadly, it is as though a piece of that trip and the wilderness
has disappeared forever, but there is some consolation in
knowing Butch as that person who considered not himself first
but others, in that place we were all lucky to cross paths:
Vermilion Valley Resort. Long live the memory of Butch Wiggs
and his cherished VVR !
From: Cfjennings
Subject: Butch
I was stunned by the news of Butch, and regretful I had fallen
far behind reading my e-mail, and could not attend services.
My family had only met him last summer, and we had planned
a visit every summer thereafter to enjoy his hospitality in
the most beautiful place on earth. He was, indeed very special;
a friend to all but, sadly himself. He and his family are
in our prayers. The future of VVR is out of our control, but
I think we should somehow contribute to a memorial of some
sort. In such a short time he touched so many hearts.
From: Chris Corley
Subject: Butch
for those of you who haven't heard, Butch Wiggs died on Jan.
26th. The funeral yesterday was very tough on all of the hundreds
of friends and family who attended and he will be greatly
missed. Please log onto the VVR site www.edisonlake.com
for an address to send a note to Peggy and the girls. At this
point noone knows what will become of the resort that Butch
and Peggy have built in the last 6 years. I know Peggy would
like to hear from those of you who have stopped along the
PCT/JMT and spent a nite or two with them.Please pass the
word to fellow hikers. thanks.
Chris Corley, a good friend
From: doug walsh [dougwalsh64@hotmail.com]
Subject: Butch Wiggs and PCT resupply
Date: 02/03/01
So sad about Butch. I went through VVR on my '98 throughhike.
At one point, I remember Butch asking me if there was anything
else he could get me. I jokingly replied that a bag of carrots
and some dates would be awesome. I was astonished and very
grateful the next day when he handed me a paper bag with some
carrots and dates. He refused to accept any money for them.
i don't know how he got them. the place was magic. you could
feel it in the air. when i think of the high sierra and even
the PCT, i think of VVR. it represented to me what i love
about wilderness. in wilderness, things and people are different.
life seems more as it should be, and VVR seemed to me to be
a little island of peace and humanity hidden up there in the
sierra wilderness in the midst of this mad "civilized" world.
a place where life was more simple and full of heart. and
Butch was VVR. with Butch gone, it feels as if even the sierra
wilderness has lost its innocence. that hurts. my thoughts
are with you Butch. I wish you peace....
doug
From: Henry Shires
Subject: Butch
I'm devastated by Butch's death. I was a couple of days behind
on my pct-l digests when I read Butch's Jan 24th appeal:
You guys have been the most cherished friends with the
highest values we've ever had. And there are so many friends
we just haven't met yet. Sorry to sound so heavy, its just
been a tuff time for this ole cowboy.
I love you all
Butch Wiggs
He died the next day and I see now that is was his way of
saying goodbye. I wrote him on the 27th and the mail never
found him but I wanted to publish it here as a sort of tribute
because I don't know what else to do:
Hi Butch,
Don't know if you remember me but I was the red-haired
'99 thruhiker that came through early in the season after
some hairy moments on the high passes (June 11th or so before
the ferry was operating). You took me in your boat out into
the lake and we tried to get e-mail through your cel-phone
connection but no luck. Anyway I did manage to find the
Canadian border on Sept 13th, 1999 and not a day goes by
that I don't think about the trail. Stopping at VVR (I also
stopped there the previous year on my JMT hike) was a hilight
of my walk and I always tell friends about the wonderful
experience I had, especially my wife who will be coming
there in August on her JMT hike.
I'm so very sorry to hear about you and Peggy. I wont pry
but I want you to know that I'm thinking of you and hoping
that you two can reconcile. I wish there were something
I could do to help. Is there? Can I write Peggy a letter
telling her what a great guy you are? I'm not in a position
to buy the VVR (and NOBODY want to see that happen) but
you came to the right place I'm sure. You guys mean so much
to the hiking community and to a great number of people
whose lives you've touched. Please let me/us know if there's
anything I/we can do.
Take care,
Henry Shires
Redwood City, CA
I wish he had reached out sooner and I wish we had all been
able to do something, anything, before it was too late. Butch,
you're a great man and you will be profoundly missed. I hope
you have found the peace that you so desperately sought. We
love you too.
From: Marion Davison
Subject: Memories of Butch
I have been devastated by the news of Butch Wiggs' death.
We do a 300 mile section hike in the Sierras every year, and
try to get to VVR on every trip. We first met Butch on our
first section hike in '96, when we used VVR for a resupply
after 27 straight days on the trail, and spent 40 hours at
the resort enjoying every possible comfort, including Butch's
amazing friendliness and hospitality. In '97 we became llama
packers, and showed up at VVR with our two llamas. We were
planning to hike back to the PCT from VVR when Butch offered
to take the llamas on his ferry, "just to see if it would
work". I was blown away! We loaded the llamas on to the ferry
that was already full of hikers, and off we went. About halfway
across the lake Butch looked at the llamas and their huge
packs and said, "Hmm, if one of these critters was to panic
and jump into the lake right now, he'd sink like a rock, wouldn't
he?" We agreed with him. Fortunately the llamas took the ferry
ride in stride and we reached the dock without incident.
We returned in '98 with three llamas, and again in '99. We
arrived in '99 a day over schedule, and had run out of llama
feed. Butch offered us all the free feed the llamas could
eat, and let us camp in the woods right in front of the store,
between the two parking lots. We were just astonished by his
generosity. We have been chased out of Yosemite and Red's
Meadow on several occasions, simply because our big furry
foreigners just aren't welcome there. No good reason, just
prejudice. We didn't make it to VVR in 2000, and it's heartbreaking
to think the glory days of VVR are gone forever. I can only
hope that a miracle can occur, and someone with the gift of
a generous spirit, like Butch had in abundance, will take
over at VVR and carry on the tradition he so well established.
I will miss him forever.
"Life is eternal, and love is immortal, and death is only
a horizon.
Life is eternal, as we move into the light, and the horizon
is nothing save the limit of our sight."
---Carly Simon
From: Jeffzclimb
Subject: Resort owner dies
My first email to the list must have got lost somewhere.
But I read the very sad news about the death of Butch Wiggs
and it just doesn't seem real. I first met Butch, Peggy, and
all the other folks at VVR in '97 when I hiked the PCT/JMT
and seen them again in '00 when I hiked the PCT. I'm really
glad I got the chance to meet Butch he was such a kind and
generous person and even though I only saw him twice I always
thought of him as a freind I will miss Butch very much.
Jeff Z.
From: ROYROBIN
Subject: Just a little something
Your spirit will fly above them, so light and so free,
Watching them walk all those miles that they see.
And as they arrive at your haven of hikers in the Valley,
They all lay their flowers in hopes that you will see,
All the love and caring, that they have for thee.
May you always rest in peace
Thanks, Valerie. I hope someone has the chance to read at
least this last few lines at a service for Butch. It says
very well what a lot of us would like to express, if we could
put the words together.
I ran into Butch at VVR last year when my son, Greg, and
I were hiking the JMT. I was up early after a pretty cold
and stormy night. The restaurant wasn't open yet, but a light,
and the coffee pot, were on. Butch invited me in for a cup
and a warm seat. He looked out after all of us, as best he
could.
From: Joanne Lennox
Subject: Popular resort owner dies
Well I am just stunned about Butch. He sent me an Email the
day he died saying he want to be on a mailing list I was making
for my PCT ride. Because he seemed depressed, I than sent
two other emails; but, uncharacteristically, heard nothing
back.
How can somebody that gives so much, not see the wonder they
are to the world. And the devastation they leave behind.
Joanne
From: Valerie
Subject: Just a little something
Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to meet him, I have
put together a poem for all that knew him. I am truly sorry
for the loss to all of you who knew him. I hope you enjoy
the poem.
Valerie
Sometimes it seems so simple,
So easy just to be.
But other times it's hard to believe,
That this could be happening to thee.
You held your head up high,
You did the best you could.
You supported everyone around you,
Like you knew you would.
You made people smile,
Happy that they were there.
They talked and laughed and joke with you,
And sometimes sat and shared,
All their thoughts and dreams while hiking on the trail.
You picked up their spirits,
By making them feel at home.
The loving, the giving, the friendliness,
That only you knew how to show.
Your spirit will fly above them, so light and so free,
Watching them walk all those miles that they see.
And as they arrive at your haven of hikers in the Valley,
They all lay their flowers in hopes that you will see,
All the love and caring, that they have for thee.
May you always rest in peace…………
From: Margo J. Chisholm
Subject: Popular resort owner dies
My heart is very sad. I answered Butch's post of a few
days ago, and his answer to me was clearly depressed. But
I heard nothing of this in it! Like Dave, my time at VVR
was quite simply wonderful. I was sad to hear of their split,
and my heart is certainly with Peggy. I celebrate Butch's
great spirit and the bigness of how he lived. We who knew
him are blessed.
Namaste
From: CMountainDave
Subject: Popular resort owner dies
VVR was the best layover on the PCT. I find the news of
Butch's death to be very troubling and sad. Even if VVR
stays open somehow it just could never be the same without
Butch and Peggy running the place and making every thru
hiker feel special
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