3 Utahns drown in Sierra Nevada range whirlpool; community mourns loss of race director

The outdoor adventure community is mourning the loss of three friends from Utah who drowned after being caught in a whirlpool while rappelling in the Sierra Nevada mountain range Friday night.

David Bell, Jeannine Skinner and Peter On were with a group of 13 people on the canyoneering adventure. The three were the last to rappel into an area known as Seven Teacups near Tulare County in central California when Skinner was caught in a whirlpool, according to a Facebook post written by Bell’s sister, Cyndi Miller.

According to the post, when Skinner got caught in the whirlpool, On descended to assist her, followed by Bell. All three drowned.

“(Jeannine and David) dated off and on for the past couple years,” Miller told KSL.com . “Just two weeks ago he told us, ‘I think I’m going to marry Jeannine.’”

Dan Ibarra, a college friend and teammate at Southern Utah University, said when he heard Bell, of American Fork, died trying to help someone else, he was not surprised.

“David Bell lived and loved passionately in every endeavor, and I had the great honor of having him as a best friend during some important formative years,” Ibarra wrote. “I have always looked to him as an example of honor, integrity, selflessness, compassion and finding joy in every situation. It comes as no surprise to me that he died yesterday attempting to save his friends. Anyone who spent any amount of time with him immediately knew his quality.”

Ibarra talked to KSL.com not just about the quality of person Bell was, but also as an athlete and member of the community.

“He was coach (Eric) Houle’s strongest recruit that year (1994),” Ibarra said. “He ran varsity cross-country his freshman year, then did the distance events in indoor track. It was quarters back then, not semesters, so he left on his (Latter-day Saint) mission to Hungary before the spring quarter/outdoor season. After his mission, he transferred to BYU but found other interests, so he didn’t join the team there. He just ran for fun while he studied engineering and became an entrepreneur. He owned a running store, student housing investment properties, and who knows what else. He seemed to always be on the go and was continuously on the lookout for adventures. … He was a huge figure in the single community and had countless close friends. He never married; he wanted to, but I guess the stars just never aligned for him in that way.”

Bell is well-known in the running community as the owner of Runtasic Events , which puts on many popular races across the state — specifically, the Haunted Half, Thankful Half, Run of Remembrance and the Nebo marathon and half-marathon that are set to take place two weeks from now.

Close friend and fellow runner Seth Wold said Bell was “a great man and an unbelievably amazing friend.”

“Dave’s dad sold me my first pair of running shoes,” Wold said.

Dave Bell was one of 10 children of Carrol Bell and the late Dr. Carl Bell, of American Fork. Carl Bell owned 26.2 Running Co., which Dave Bell later purchased. Wold, who managed that store, said Dave Bell was always wanting to find ways to bring people together in a positive and healthy way.

“Dave was always busy starting new businesses that were all around creating great experiences for people,” Wold said. “When he started up these running events, rather than just doing the race, he would always focus on, ‘Hey, what can I do to make this a memorable, different experience for people?’ So at the finish line, he was the one that always brought in bands and different food. He always created the environment after the race that was more of a hangout and vibe place rather than just, you know, grab your medal and a banana and go back home. He was all about creating experiences that would help people thrive and draw them together as a group. All I ever did with Dave was group events, whether it was line dancing or races or going out to eat. Whatever it was, it was always in groups. He was so good at bringing people together.”

The Friday night event in the Sierra Nevadas may be the last for Bell, Skinner and On, but their friends are doing all they can to keep the trio’s memory alive.

An event will be held by Country Swing Dancing , a Utah group of which both Bell and Skinner were a part, on Wednesday at Classic Skating in Sandy.

KSL.com was not able to connect with relatives of Skinner and On.

A GoFundMe* has been set up to assist with funeral costs for David Bell and to bring him home to Utah.

“Pete will be deeply missed by all who knew him, but his sense of adventure, his free-spirited nature, and his unwavering commitment to those he loved will live on in our hearts forever,” was shared in an online obituary for On .

Skinner’s family also set up a fundraising site on GoFundMe* to cover funeral costs and other expenses. An organizer wrote that Skinner “was adventurous and loved to be in the outdoors” and also praised Skinner for bringing “the best” out of those around her.

Family and friends shared thoughts and memories of the three friends, as well as details of pending funeral arrangements on Facebook .

* KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk..