A police officer working for the Ministry of Defence in Barrow died after falling from a 'significant' height in the Lake District, an inquest heard.
Joseph Hadley died at the age of 27 when descending Raven Crag in Great Langdale on May 4 this year in what was officially ruled as a 'misadventure'.
Originally born in Shrewsbury before earning a First Class honours in policing and making the move to Cumbria, Mr Hadley was said to have had a life-long passion for climbing.
His mum Kay Hadley said: "From an early age, he was active - I can always remember a time when Joe was about six years old and, before I knew it, he was climbing a tree high up.
"He chose [to work in] Barrow because it was near the Lakes and he loved the lakes and Lake District.
"He was an experienced climber and he enjoyed doing this in his spare time."
Mrs Hadley added that her son was 'hard-working' and a man of 'principle and adventure' who 'stood up for what he believed in'.
Detective Inspector Kathryn Smyth, of Cumbria Police, told the inquest a former mountain rescue volunteer found Mr Hadley's body having initially seen him climbing at around 3pm on May 4.
Anthony Duck, Mr Hadley's supervisor at the Ministry of Defence, told police he was a 'very likeable, sociable person' who 'no-one had a bad word to say about'.
According to Mr Duck, the climb in question would have been difficult but 'within the capability' of Mr Hadley.
Joshua Gardener, a fellow climber who spoke to Mr Hadley on the crag shortly before his death, said: "My impression was that he seemed an experienced climber and he knew what he was doing."
Neil Bowness, deputy team leader with Langdale and Ambleside MRT, said Mr Hadley was found with 'no climbing gear, ropes or helmet'.
He added: "He appeared to have a significant head injury - given the injury, blood loss, and position of body, there was nothing they [members of the public at the scene] could have done."
DI Smyth told the hearing of His Majesty's Coroner's Service in Cumbria that Mr Hadley had been seen drinking prior to his death.
A toxicology report subsequently showed a 'not insignificant concentration of alcohol' in his blood.
Coroner Dr Nicholas Shaw ruled that the cause of death was catastrophic cranial and spinal injuries due to a fall from height with alcohol ingestion a contributing factor.
He said it was likely that Mr Hadley 'slipped and fell' whilst starting the descent and that, even with safety equipment, the height in which he fell from made it probable that his injuries still would have been fatal.
Dr Shaw said: "He was clearly a man who lived life to the full. He had taken some alcohol and that may have affected his judgement somewhat.
"But he had done this sort of thing [climb] before. He will have estimated that this was something well within his capabilities.
"There is always that loose bit of stone or rock and, without safety ropes, if you fall you are going to be in trouble and without a helmet you are going to be in even more trouble."
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