Will Stanhope, the Canadian professional rock climber, died after a fall from the Stawamus Chief - a prominent climbing site just outside Squamish. His legacy as a bold, talented climber has been documented in local news and online forums. That isn’t up for debate. But spend any time in the comment threads and another part of Stanhope’s legacy comes up - a very ugly side that, for various reasons, many in the community are choosing to dismiss, bury, or simply ignore.
Stanhope’s legacy isn’t just about climbing - he hurt people. He was charged with and scheduled to face trial later this year, facing 9 criminal charges, including sexual assault, criminal harassment, assault, mischief, and break and enter. These are serious charges with real victims. Sexual assault is a serious criminal offence under the Canadian Criminal Code - not something to soften or explain away lightly. His alleged offences took place over multiple days between November 2024 and November 2025. The repetition points to something ongoing, not isolated.
Many online are in varying modes of denial. Some go as far as attacking those who dare bring up the charges at all. Some Reddit moderators have taken it upon themselves to censor mentions of Stanhope’s criminal charges altogether.
For those online pretending this isn’t there, a search for Stanhope’s name in the BC criminal court database is enough - the charges are there for anyone to see.
Those who fixate on the idea that he was never convicted of these crimes should think about what that actually means. While that is technically true, Stanhope’s trial was scheduled for this coming December. It’s disingenuous to use that to dismiss the seriousness of the allegations altogether. The threshold to bring these charges against an individual in Canada is not trivial. Charges are laid when there is a reasonable prospect of conviction and when it is in the public interest to proceed. Evidence was gathered. The case had weight. Prosecutors determined it was in the public interest to move forward - committing time and public resources to prosecuting these charges. If Reddit and forum comments are anything to go by, this behaviour wasn’t a surprise to some who had interacted with Stanhope.
And finally, to those who are insistent that this isn’t the time or place to discuss this topic - then when is? Grieving is normal, but ignoring this is a choice - and a disservice to those impacted. One publication memorializing Stanhope’s passing described him as a “total sweetheart.” That is jarring when set against the type of criminal charges Stanhope was facing, including sexual assault.
Stanhope was a public figure. His career was built on his influence on the community and his public persona. People in that position are, by definition, in the spotlight - and they deserve to be scrutinized. If anything, they should be held to a higher standard as role models in our communities. Legacy isn’t selective, and in Stanhope’s case, this includes an ugly truth people unfortunately would rather not face.