76-year-old man dies in fall while rock climbing in West Virginia

A 76-year-old man died after apparently falling while attempting to climb Seneca Rocks in West Virginia over the weekend.

The man was climbing the east face of Seneca Rocks on Saturday when he died, according to Pendleton County 911, which posted the news to its Facebook page. Washington Canoe Club, in its own Facebook post, identified the victim as Mike Robinson and said he died from a fall. 

"Mike was a most excellent friend of WCC and a regular racer At our annual Havens 10k," Washington Canoe Club posted. "Where he would race C-2 either with his wife Linda or his daughter or most recently his adult granddaughter."

The club, which calls itself the oldest canoe and kayak club in the Washington, D.C. area, said Robinson was a "great friend."

"In the meantime, be like Mike. Keep getting out there and do the things that bring you joy," the club's Facebook post said. 

Pendleton County 911 said first responders were called to Seneca Rocks on Saturday for the rock climbing accident around 2:30 p.m. It said that numerous people and agencies were involved in recovering Robinson's body. 

The American Canoe Association said in a news release that Robinson — who was from Falmouth, Virginia — "embodied the spirit of outdoor adventure." He is being remembered as an "accomplished rock climber, an avid racer, and a craftsman who was rarely happier than when building, repairing, or creating something with his hands."

Robinson was a Navy Corpsman during the Vietnam War and gave back to the community by helping with Scouting America. The Great Rappahannock Whitewater Canoe Race has also established the Mike Robinson Triple Crown Award in his honor. 

"His wake will continue to ripple through the rivers he loved and through the many lives he touched," the American Canoe Association said.