Aussie dies in mountain fall in Canada

The father of a South Australian man who fell to his death while hiking in Canada's
Rocky Mountains says his son died doing what he loved.
Ryan Scott Freeman was killed on Thursday when he plunged 50 metres while hiking at
Mount Kidd in Kananaskis, west of Calgary.
The 24-year-old's father, Roger Freeman, said Ryan had been on a working holiday for
the past 18 months - crossing The United States with a group of friends and visiting
Europe for the Tour de France.
"Young people quite often die in horrible circumstances that are senseless, but Ryan
was having a good time and enjoying himself and doing what he wanted to do," Mr
Freeman told AAP.
Ryan, who completed a software engineering degree before embarking on his travels,
was reportedly scrambling - a sport similar to rock climbing that is done with
limited assistance from ropes - when he died.
Mr Freeman said his son was an experienced rock-climber who enjoyed participating in
any sport on a social level.
"Scrambling is really just like climbing a steep hill, using your hands and feet,"
he said.
The cause of the accident is not yet known, but Mr Freeman said he didn't expect to
ever find the answer.
"A rock may have just slipped out from under him or something."
Kananaskis public safety specialist George Field told the Calgary Herald scrambling
was "not something we look at as a good decision in the Rockies because the rock is
so broken up".
"I don't know what caused the individual to fall off the mountain," Mr Field said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday said it would remain in close contact
with Canadian authorities "to obtain information about the man's death".
Ryan's scrambling companion called for help but the young Australian was dead by the
time conservation officers arrived at the scene, according to Canadian police quoted
in local media.
The last time Ryan's parents and two older brothers saw him was in November last
year was when he made a brief stopover in Adelaide.
"He went back again to the ski resort and decided to stay on and work in the golf
resort," Mr Freeman said.
Friends at the resort where Ryan was working held a memorial service for him early
on Monday morning (Australian time).
"That support has been great," Mr Freeman said.
"It's very sad and traumatic, we're doing the best we can."
Canadian authorities, DFAT and funeral directors are in the process of making
arrangements to bring Ryan's body home.
It could be some time before Ryan's family will be able to lay him to rest.