On Thursday, Dec. 27th Stephen was involved in an accident in which he fell 40+ feet while ice climbing/guiding in Smugglers Notch, Vermont, and suffered major traumatic head injuries as well as many others. He was airlifted from Smugglers Notch and remains in critical condition at UVM Medical Center. It is certain that Steve’s road to recovery will be long and arduous, with multiple surgeries and PT along his road back.From climber and friend Taylor Luneau:"Stephen Charest is a mentor to many, an educator, a lover of mountains and especially snow. His passion and excitement for outdoor pursuits is contagious and more than that, his love of sharing these pursuits with others is inspiring.I’ve been fortunate to call Steve a mentor and importantly, a friend. Steve is of course so much more: a father, a husband, a son, a small business owner....I’ve always looked to he and Andrea as cornerstones of the Vermont climbing community. Petra Cliffs Climbing Center & Mountaineering School has been a home for me and so many others.I owe a lot to Steve for opening my eyes to the world of guiding, for investing time in my development as a climber and skier, and for giving me the tools to manage life’s hurdles. Thank you, Steve, for everything that you do."While he is a fighter, he and his family need our endless support at this time. Steve has mentored, encouraged, instructed and inspired so many climbers, skiers, paddlers & outdoor-enthusiasts young and old that the time has come for us all to show our support. We hope that you'll help us raise funds that help to support Steve, Andrea and their young daughter McKinley through what we know will be an incredibly difficult road to recovery. Any financial stress we can relieve through this campaign will allow them to focus their attention on where it should be - on healing.Thank you for any and all support you are able to give at this time.* Updates on his condition will be made in time, as the family sees fit and as they become available.