Darrick Danta sitting atop Kristinartindar Peak in Iceland in June 2012. Danta, associate dean of California State University, Northridge’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, passed away on Feb. 15. Photo by Matt Ebiner.

Darrick Danta ’77 (Geography), M.A. ’80 (Geography), associate dean of California State University, Northridge’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and longtime faculty member of the Department of Geography, passed away on Friday, Feb. 15, after an apparent climbing accident near Needles, Calif. He was 58 years old.

Danta was a longtime resident of the San Fernando Valley and an inveterate champion of the Department of Geography. He spent a good deal of his life in the classrooms of Sierra Hall first as a student and then returning as faculty in 1985. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geography, going on to earn a doctorate in geography at Ohio State University.

Danta served as president of the Association of Pacific Coast Geographers, as well as editor for their journal. He was a fixture at meetings of the California Geographical Society and the Association of American Geographers. He was an active member of the Sierra Club and led many outings as an instructor in outdoor skills.

Students and peers benefitted from Danta’s expansive knowledge of Eastern Europe, as well as his exceptional breadth of training in all aspects of geographic methods, tools and techniques.

“The loss to our department is beyond comprehension,” said Shawna Dark, chair of the Department of Geography. “Darrick was a wonderful mentor, teacher, colleague and friend. It was a true honor to work with him.”

He is survived by his wife, Sara. No information is available yet on his memorial service.

For more information, contact the Department of Geography at (818) 677-3532 or visit the geography department website.

Alumni, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences