On September 2, John “Amos” Ridenour (35), a Gallatin County sheriff’s deputy, died after falling while rock climbing in Hyalite Canyon, 10 miles south of Bozeman. He had gone to Practice Rock with his son and neighbor early on Labor Day morning to teach the boy how to climb, said Sheriff Brian Gootkin. 

Ridenour climbed the route to manage the rope work from above, said Gootkin. At 8:20 a.m., while atop the rock, Ridenour fell about 35 to 40 feet. (Source: Adapted from an article by Ason Bacaj in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.)