Retired Lebanon firefighter and paramedic Jim Anglin died Sunday while on a climbing expedition at Smith Rock in Central Oregon.

Anglin, 55, and two companions were on a steep trail in the southeast part of Smith Rock State Park, descending the gorge toward climbing routes, when he slipped and fell about 100 feet.

Redmond paramedics confirmed his death at the scene. His body was removed by Deschutes County Search and Rescue personnel later in the day.

Anglin was hired by the Lebanon Fire District Oct. 22, 1974, as a firefighter. When a local doctor initiated emergency medical training, Anglin was one of the first six to be trained.

He was promoted to captain in May 1985 and retired in April 2002.

He and his wife, Cheryl, moved to the White Salmon area on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge after his retirement. Anglin was an avid windsurfer and they had maintained a vacation home there for several years.

Jon Davis, fire prevention specialist for the Lebanon Fire District, said he worked on Anglin's shift most of the time from 1985 until 2002.

Anglin was "devoted to physical fitness," he said.

"Here's a guy 55 years old and he would probably put anyone 15 to 20 years his junior to shame," Davis said. "He was all about the outdoors and had an amazing passion for getting out in the outdoors and doing pretty much anything that could be done."

Davis said Anglin was an experienced rock climber and mountain climber who had climbed major peaks around the world. He was the first to climb many routes at Smith Rock. He had gotten into windsurfing about 10 years ago and spent close to 100 days of the year on the water. He also enjoyed many other outdoor activities and "came to work to relax," Davis said.

"The two days he spent off were doing anything you could imagine. The guy had an extreme passion for extreme sports and the outdoors in general," Davis said.

"There is no doubt in my mind he was doing what he loved."

Ray Fair, who worked at the fire district with Anglin for about 25 years, said "We always thought he'd probably fall off a rock some place. We never dreamt he'd stumble off a trail."