Jimmy Watts ’10 Dies in Avalanche

James J. “Jimmy” Watts ’10 died in an avalanche while ice climbing on Mount Washington in New Hampshire on Friday. He was 24.

During his time at Harvard, Watts lived in Eliot House and concentrated in molecular and cellular biology. He was also an avid climber and a dedicated member of the Harvard Mountaineering Club.

“Jimmy was such a true leader, mentor, and friend to so many of us in the club,” Mountaineering Club president Nick B. Waldo ’13 wrote in a email to the Crimson. “It is hard to imagine what the current Harvard Mountaineering Club would look like without him. We will always remember him for his caring for others, his quick laugh, and his unfailingly positive attitude.”

Watts was in Huntington’s Ravine on Mount Washington when the avalanche was triggered, pushing him 1,000 feet down the ravine, according to the Forest Service.

Another hiker found him around 3 p.m. Friday. Authorities believe Watts was alone when he died.

Watts, an Idaho native, was pursuing a medical degree at Columbia University’s medical school, and was due to graduate in 2016.

His Facebook page says he worked at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

As of press time, neither Watts’s family nor members of the residential staff of Eliot House who knew Watts could be reached.

Check The Crimson for a forthcoming obituary.

—Staff writer John A. Elzinga can be reached at jelzinga@college.harvard.edu.