Abbotsford Police Const. Jason Baskin posted the team’s progress on social media.

Abbotsford Police Const. Jason Baskin posted the team’s progress on social media.

Mt. Baker climbers reach summit in memory of Const. John Davidson

Team includes Abbotsford Police members, Davidson's 3 kids and others

Nine members of the Abbotsford Police Department (APD) and six others reached the summit of Mt. Baker at about 8:45 a.m. Monday in the climb they started on Sunday in memory of fallen officer Const. John Davidson.

The climbers – including Davidson’s three grown children Fay, Dina and Drew – posted their first update on social media on Sunday afternoon, stating that they had reached base camp and “all is well.”

Their next update was in the evening, saying they had finished dinner and were prepping their summit packs for a 1 a.m. start on Monday.

“Next message will be from the summit,” the post stated.

But a 2 a.m. update said the team was “roping up and getting ready” for their final leg to the summit.

Their next post at around 10 a.m. Monday stated: “On the summit!” The message said the team reached the peak at 8:43 a.m.

Later on Monday evening, a comment was posted from APD Chief Mike Serr.

“A very challenging and rewarding day for all. We made the peak of Mount Baker and were humbled to bury a Cst. Davidson police memorial coin at the top with his children. Now John can always watch over his family, the AbbyPD and Abbotsford,” Serr wrote.

READ MORE: Mt. Baker climb next month honours Const. John Davidson

Planning for the climb began a few months ago, when Const. Jason Baskin approached Serr with the idea.

Baskin said that before Davidson was fatally shot in the line of duty on Nov. 6, 2017, there was a group of APD members that had talked about climbing Mt. Baker in Washington state. Davidson had told Baskin that it was on his “bucket list.”

After his friend’s death, Baskin decided he still wanted to do the hike and came to Serr with the idea of doing it in Davidson’s memory.

All the participants were already in good physical condition but training began several weeks ago on on climbing techniques such as using ropes and crampons, and how to safely traverse a glacier.

When they reach the summit – 10,788 feet – they will place one of the coins that was created in Davidson’s memory.

As well, Serr will find a moment to honour his son Aiden, who died in a car crash at the age of 19 exactly one week after Davidson’s death.

Serr and his son had planned to climb Mt. Baker on two separate occasion, but both times cancelled due to weather.

The APD members doing the climb, in addition to Serr and Baskin, are: Const. Renae Williams, Sarah Waterhouse, Sgt. Kevin Murray, Sgt. Maitland Smith, and Consts. Jenny Texeira, Marie Page and Neil Cole.

Joining them will be firefighter Juan Pablo Mora Peara, Shaun Glass of CVSR, and Supt. Murray Powers, commander with the Langley RCMP.

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