Richland student at Cal Poly dies on climbing trip. He was found at Big Sur waterfall
A student from Richland, Wash., studying at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, died during a climbing trip over the weekend.
Kenneth Taylor, 21, was found dead at the base of the Salmon Creek waterfall in Big Sur, said the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.
Taylor, who was studying mechanical engineering, was set to graduate in 2025. He earlier attended Hanford High School in Richland, said alumni of the school.
He had worked as an intern for Bechtel in Richland the summer of 2022, developing a template for pressure safety valve fluid calculations, according to his LinkedIn profile. Bechtel National holds the contract to build and commission the Hanford nuclear site’s massive vitrification plant.
At Cal Poly he had worked as a part-time research assistant since January 2022 on a project to develop and test a water harvester.
Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong called Taylor “an outdoor enthusiast.”
“He was a founding member of the Alpine Club, participated in activities with the Surfrider Foundation and served as a trip leader for ASI Poly Escapes,” a group that provides student-guided outdoor trips, Armstrong said in an email to students and their families.
Taylor’s LinkedIn profile said he also had been on the Cal Poly Formula SAE Team for a student design competition to develop a prototype autocross racer.
Staff of Cal Poly Associated Students described Taylor as “a person of incredible technical skill and even more incredible kindness, unmatched wittiness and a passion for adventure that could inspire anyone,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong said the university is in touch with Taylor’s family and is “extending its full support to them and his friends.”
“Our thoughts are with them as they grieve their loss,” Armstrong wrote. “It is never easy to share news like this, and we know that processing this loss can be difficult for members of our community.”
Friends mourn death of Cal Poly student
His friend Kenneth Bevens posted on Instagram that he asked Taylor to go on a hike that day, but Taylor already had plans to got to Big Sur.
“Nothing could keep that man away from the mountains!” Bevens posted.
Taylor had planned to be at an event for the Van Life Club in Cayucos, Calif., that night to celebrate the outdoor community.
“He would have loved it!” Bevens said. “The hammocks, the photos, the music, the oceanview, and all the love. When I was taking photos, I could practically feel his beaming energy and positivity!”
The two were known as “Kenneth squared” and often got confused with each other since they were both outdoorsy photographers, his post said.
“I loved talking to him and hearing his laugh. He was so incredibly kind, enthusiastic, smart and gave 110% of himself to everything he did and everyone he met,” Bevens said. “Kenneth felt tremendously loved and helped others feel the same.”
Other friends followed Bevens’ post with tributes to Taylor of their own.
“Ugh it still hurts my heart. That man was a true legend and inspiration,” wrote Isaiah Traub, who goes by the user name hiker_hawk on Instagram.
In his comment, Dillon Behling called Taylor “a true light in our community. Our hearts are heavy and miss him dearly. ... His enthusiasm and kindness will continue to ripple throughout our beloved community. Much love to all who know him and to his family.”
