May 11, 1955 – September 8, 2025

James Miller was born in May of 1955 to Jean and Dwight Miller of Winter Park, Colorado. From an early age he found a love of the outdoors and a restless spirit that carried him farther and higher than most people could ever dream and he was happiest wandering the woods, collecting pretty rocks from streambeds, or setting off alone to see what lay around the next bend.

By high school, James’ natural gifts found their form. He had become an exceptional hiker and camper, equally at home in a tent, on the ground, or in a snow cave. He ran distance events in track, specializing in the two-mile, and excelled at cross-country skiing – earning a spot on the Junior National team. After graduating from Middle Park High School, his talents led him to Western State College, where he received a skiing scholarship, competing in the NCAA Championships; in the off-season, he competed on the cross-country running team.

By this point, James was an accomplished rock climber and mountaineer, eventually summiting every 14er in Colorado, along with countless other mountains throughout the West, Mexico, South America and Nepal. He also became an expert caver and was drawn to the underground with the same passion he had for the high peaks. His expeditions carried him across the U.S. and as far as Peru, Laos and Cambodia. While in Peru, he lived among locals in the jungle, harvesting grubs, climbing the Andes, and venturing into caves that villagers warned no man should enter. He went anyway, spending days underground, only to be driven out by eerie sounds and greeted with suspicion by locals who believed he had disturbed their myth. His knowledge and experience in caving were not only personal but shared – James published respected papers on the subject which are still studied by others years later.

James also mastered the water. He was a skilled kayaker, running difficult stretches of the Arkansas River, including Pine Creek Rapids, and Cataract Canyon on the Colorado. On the water, as in the mountains and caves, he sought the thrill of challenge and the peace of solitude.

After college, James put his geological training to work. He joined Uranerz, a German company prospecting for uranium, and was so valued that he was retained even during layoffs. Yet James, true to his character, volunteered to step aside so that others with families could retain their employment. He planned to further his education but before he could, an Australian mining company recruited him to search for gold in Indonesia. In the jungles of Borneo, James thrived – discovering a major strike and quickly proving himself indispensable. Though promoted to project manager, he found little joy behind a desk, preferring the sweat, grit, and camaraderie of fieldwork, where he was deeply respected by his crew.

The most important discovery of his time overseas, however, was not in the earth but in his heart. It was there that James met his future wife, Liza. They married in 1993, returned to Boulder, and raised two sons, Henry and Patrick. James earned a master’s degree in computer science and went to work for Vexcel, a company that later became part of Microsoft, building a solid career until his retirement in 2013.

After retirement James trained for ultramarathons, competing in 100-mile races across the peaks of Leadville and Silverton. And when he could no longer run long distances, he became a skilled paraglider pilot, soaring through the skies until a sudden downdraft plummeted him 70 feet down – an accident that ended his most extreme pursuits – but not his drive to explore.

He traveled widely, hiking, rafting, kayaking, and scuba diving in Asia, South America, and Europe. He dove in Mexico and the Caribbean, and under the ice of Blue Mesa Reservoir in Colorado. In Cambodia, after a nighttime motorcycle crash left him badly injured, he recovered with characteristic toughness. When it came time to retrieve the motorcycle, he discovered it was cheaper to rent an ambulance than a taxi—so naturally, he did. He often brought Liza and the boys on his journeys and sometimes sent the boys off alone, determined that each should experience the joy of discovery.

At home, James was thrifty yet unfailingly generous with his time and resources. He was a gifted cook whose meals—curries, crepes, Mexican and Indonesian dishes—were famous not only for their flavor but also for their irreverent names. His “Liver Sludge” was legendary, converting skeptics into liver lovers. His table was always a place of warmth, laughter, and full bellies. Dogs were esteemed members of his family and Gabby, Boots, and Rose spent their time with James roaming the hillsides and deserts on grand and glorious expeditions.

​Through it all, James remained humble. He downplayed his accomplishments, never sought the spotlight, and in many ways lived like a Buddhist—distinguishing what truly mattered, letting go of what didn’t, and never wasting time on worry.

​James was loyal to his friends, kind in his words, and unwavering in his devotion to family. He lived a life both extraordinary and deeply human, one marked by endurance, curiosity, humor, and love.

​He is survived by his wife, Liza (Tucson); his sons, Henry (Taiwan) and Patrick (Indonesia), his beloved dog, Rose; his sisters, Martha and Sarah, and his brother, Jack; as well as a wide circle of extended family and friends who will remember him with respect and affection. James Miller’s life was an adventure story, a love story, and a lesson in humility—all in one.

A Memorial will be held for family and friends next summer. Donations may be given in his memory to the Boulder Humane Society . The Grand County Humane Society, or to the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, 126 Cole Blvd, Suite 130, Lakewood, CO 80401