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High drama in the mountains of ENZED

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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #50 on: July 28, 2013, 10:36:15 pm »


Tricky rescue for Ruapehu climber

The Dominion Post | 9:47PM - Sunday, 28 July 2013

DRAMATIC RESCUE: A climber is helped to safety after a 5m fall on near vertical rock.
DRAMATIC RESCUE: A climber is helped to safety after
a 5m fall on near vertical rock.


A 62-YEAR-OLD CLIMBER has been airlifted to safety after falling from a ridge near the top of Mount Ruapehu.

The Auckland man was climbing a vertical, icy rock face near the top of Pinnacle Ridge, at an altitude of about 2,225 metres this afternoon when he slipped and fell about five metres.

His climbing ropes saved him from falling several hundred metres, leaving him dangling until help arrived.

A search and rescue operation was launched by National Park Police with help from the Ruapehu Alpine Rescue Organisation, Land Search and Rescue volunteers and the Whakapapa ski patrol.

Greenlea Rescue Helicopter pilot Nat Every said a winch was eventually used to get a member of the rescue team to the man, who was put in a harness.

The pair were then airlifted from the cliff face and flown to a flat area above the Whakapapa ski field.

The climber was stabilised at the scene by paramedics before being transported to Waikato Hospital.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/8974547/Tricky-rescue-for-Ruapehu-climber
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« Reply #51 on: August 12, 2013, 03:08:58 pm »


Climber killed in avalanche near Remarkables ski field

APNZ | 2:10PM - Monday, August 12, 2013



A 30-YEAR-OLD MAN has been killed after being swept off his feet by an avalanche near the Remarkables ski field today.

Police said the New Zealand climber fell 500 metres down the west face of the mountain in an avalanche that was approximately four metres wide and 300 to 400mm deep.

It swept the climber from his feet, carrying him down a steep face and he was unable to gain control of his descent.

The climber's 34-year-old male companion, who was uninjured in the incident, managed to reach the man some time later and raise the alarm for emergency assistance.

Andrew Hobman from the Mountain Safety Council says two climbers were climbing out behind The Remarkables ski area.

"One of them was caught in an avalanche someway up a steep gully which they triggered themselves, then one of them was taken quite a long way down the gully."

A spokesperson for the NZ Ski says the Remarkables ski area remains open.

Police say the man's name won't be released until next-of-kin have been notified.


Additional reporting from Newstalk ZB.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10911449
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« Reply #52 on: August 12, 2013, 03:42:32 pm »


one of my grandsons is a ski instructor at the Remarkables ...
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« Reply #53 on: August 12, 2013, 04:37:29 pm »


Climber dies on Remarkables

The Southland Times | 3:09PM - Monday, 12 August 2013

THE REMARKABLES RANGE: A 30-year-old climber has died on the west face of the range. — Photo: Fairfax NZ.
THE REMARKABLES RANGE: A 30-year-old climber has died on the west face of the range.
 — Photo: Fairfax NZ.


THE CLIMBER killed in an avalanche in the Remarkables mountain range near Queenstown today has been named.

New Zealand Alpine Club general manager Sam Newton acknowledged the passing of 30-year-old Jamie Vinton-Boot this afternoon, saying he was "one of New Zealand's most talented climbers".

"Jamie Vinton-Boot is an outstanding climber of this generation and one of New Zealand's most gifted alpinists," Newton said.

"He has completed numerous first ascents in New Zealand of an extremely high standard. These were often undertaken with his unique, self-imposed 'the line of most resistance' style and ethos."

Boot had been "committed to developing and mentoring the next generation of climbers and adventurers in New Zealand", highlighted by his participation in New Zealand Alpine Team and the the 'Backyard and Beyond' project promoting homegrown exploration and adventure.

"His death is a tragic loss for the climbing community and, of course, his friends and family. Our thoughts are with his loved ones, at this sad time," Newton said.


JAMIE VINTON-BOOT: “An outstanding climber of this generation.” — Photo: LUKE THOMAS.
JAMIE VINTON-BOOT: “An outstanding climber of
this generation.” — Photo: LUKE THOMAS.


Police confirmed the death of the experienced mountain climber on the west face of The Remarkables range after being caught in an avalanche at 8.35am this morning.

The man, a New Zealander, was accompanied by another experienced climber, and the pair had been in an area commonly used by rock climbers.

The deceased man fell 500 metres down the face of the mountain after he was struck by the avalanche, which was four metres wide and 300 to 400 millimetres deep.

He was swept from his feet, carried down the steep face and was unable to gain control of his descent.

The climber's 34-year-old companion was uninjured in the incident.

He eventually managed to reach the man and raise the alarm.

An emergency response involved The Remarkables ski-field patrol and Queenstown police.

The Remarkables Ski Area manager Ross Lawrence confirmed there had been an avalanche in the ranges "way up high", but it was not in the ski field boundaries.

The NZ Avalanche Centre has been warning of "considerable risk" of an avalanche in the backcountry area of Queenstown and recommended only experts venture into the area.

A Queenstown police spokesperson confirmed that a full search involving LANDSAR staff did not swung into action because the body was located easily by the deceased man's partner.

The emergency response was kept mostly in-house by Queenstown police, with the help of Remarkables skifield staff, the spokesperson said.

It is believed a helicopter was also involved in taking the deceased man and his climbing partner off the mountain.

The Remarkables Ski Area manager Ross Lawrence confirmed there had been an avalance in the ranges "way up high" but it was not in the ski field boundaries.

Well-known Queenstown climber Ben Dare said the two men had not spent the night on the mountain, and that they had started their climbing trip this morning.

Wanaka search and rescue volunteer Phillip Melchior, a former Landsar New Zealand Search and Rescue chairman,  said both faces of the Remarkables were steep and exposed up high and he believed small avalanches would be quite common in the winter months.

Although he knew nothing of the tragedy, the two climbers were obviously in the wrong place at the wrong time, he said.

"I think anyone that goes into those environments has to make judgement calls about the conditions they are operating in. Clearly, in this case, something happened which they didn't predict."

Climbing deaths were not common on the Remarkables, Mr Melchior said.

Adventure Consultants mountain guide Steve Moffat, who is based in Wanaka, said avalanches were generally triggered when fresh snow fell on a firm base.

Fresh snow had fallen on the Remarkables overnight, he said.

When asked if he would have ventured onto the mountain today knowing that fresh snow had fallen, he said he would have been cautious and thinking of other options, but he didn't know what the exact situation was for the two affected climbers.

The New Zealand Avalanche Centre's website listed Queenstown's avalance risk at heights of above 2000 meters as considerable.

Slab snow conditions were common just below ridge-lines, and initial bonding with any new snow would be poor. be poor.

"Take care today and choose open terrain, beware of entering slopes that lead to terrain traps. Most aspects will see a small amount of wind loading, but the real concern is those steep start zones on [Eastern] aspects. The amount of new snow is small but combined with the previous snowfall will be enough to produce a significant avalanche."

The warnings were issued at 6.46am, and continue:

"This new snow needs time to bond and should be avoided for the next 24hrs at least. The snow to low levels sits on a hard melt/freeze crust and is also very reactive, however the depth of snow is not expected to cause too much concern, be wary of terrain traps."


http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/9031714/Climber-dies-on-Remarkables
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« Reply #54 on: November 04, 2013, 11:22:09 am »


Climber killed in fall

By JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN and TRACY MILES - The Press | 2:57PM - Sunday, 03 November 2013

A rescue helicopter recovers the dead climber from the lower summit of Aoraki-Mount Cook with the aid of Department of Conservation Aoraki-Mt Cook Alpine Rescue Team leader Karen Jackson. The man fell over the back of the saddle (beneath the helicopter) while skiing at 3700 metres. — Photo: Brent Swanson.
A rescue helicopter recovers the dead climber from the lower summit of Aoraki-Mount Cook with the aid of
Department of Conservation Aoraki-Mt Cook Alpine Rescue Team leader Karen Jackson. The man fell over
the back of the saddle (beneath the helicopter) while skiing at 3700 metres. — Photo: Brent Swanson.


AN experienced climber has died after falling 600 metres while skiing on Aoraki-Mount Cook.

A Department of Conservation Aoraki-Mount Cook Alpine Rescue Team responded to a call at 8.30 this morning from a climber whose climbing partner had fallen.

They were climbing and skiing near the Summit Ridge Porter Col of Aoraki-Mount Cook.

Rescuers believed the 32-year-old man may have fallen 600 vertical metres.

Lake Tekapo senior constable Brent Swanson said the men were skiing when the accident happened.

"It's not a ski area. What they were doing was pretty extreme ... at the extreme end of skiing."

The rescue party took a helicopter to the scene where they established the fallen man had died.

Swanson said conditions were perfect at the time but the height the climbers were at put the helicopter mission, about 10am, at the extreme end of flying.

The rescue team returned the uninjured partner at 11.50am and then retrieved the dead climber at 12.20pm.

The climbing pair, who are from overseas,  went into the park yesterday with the intention to climb Aoraki-Mount Cook.

The men were skiing/traversing at 3700m towards the lower summit of Aoraki-Mount Cook.

They were described as very experienced and had successfully ski/climbed the East Face of Aoraki-Mount Cook and The Footstool the previous week.

At the time the call came in members of the DOC Alpine Rescue Team were in the park carrying out alpine rescue training with members of LandSAR NZ.

The names of the deceased and their country of origin involved will be released later.

Today's death takes the total number of lives lost at Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park to 220.

Most recently, Melbourne-based Kiwi Duncan Rait, 36, died when he slipped on ice and fell 150m on September 13th.

The following day, Englishman Robert Buckley, 31, died after falling 700m near the Mount Sefton Bivvy.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/canterbury/9357188/Climber-killed-in-fall
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« Reply #55 on: November 04, 2013, 11:22:21 am »


Critically injured woman rescued from glacier

Paramedics tending to a injured climber on glacier
came perilously close to a massive avalanche.


The Press | 9:38AM - Monday, 04 November 2013

Mount Arrowsmith

A CRITICALLY INJURED woman was rescued from a South Island glacier last night after breaking both her legs.

In an exhausting rescue bid, two men carried the injured climber for about 45 minutes in darkness, through the snow and ice of the Arrowsmith Range to reach a rescue helicopter.

An avalanche struck just 200 metres from the group as they were walking to the chopper, buffeted by winds of about 40-50 km/h.

The 36-year-old woman had been abseiling when she fell about 300 metres at about 6.30pm.

She suffered serious head and leg injuries and was stabilised by paramedics before being flown to Christchurch Hospital in serious condition.

Rescuers say the woman needed urgent medical attention and may have died if not for her personal locator beacon.

On reaching the rescue helicopter, the woman was able to be flown directly to Christchurch Hospital for treatment, while her rescuers remained on the glacier overnight. They have organised a private helicopter to get out of the area today.

Christchurch Hospital confirmed this morning the woman was in a critical condition in the intensive care unit.

The two men, from Christchurch and Wellington, and the injured Christchurch woman had set off on their expedition on Friday and were due to complete their trip yesterday.

However, the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) picked up the woman's emergency beacon at 8.45pm last night, and contacted the group of three climbing in the Arrowsmith Range.

A Westpac Rescue Helicopter with night vision goggles left from Christchurch at 9.30pm, carrying a paramedic on board.

The climbers were found about an hour later, but their position on the Cameron Glacier near the upper reaches of the Rakaia River was too tight to allow winching and the helicopter had to land instead.

RCCNZ Search and Rescue Officer Chris Henshaw said the incident was a stark illustration of how carrying a personal locator beacon saved lives.

"Had the party not been able to quickly make contact with search and rescue authorities, there is no doubt that the woman could have died, given the environment and the extent of her injuries," Henshaw said.

"Registering the beacon means the owner's emergency contacts can provide details of the planned trip and rescuers can get to them faster."


http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/9359125/Critically-injured-woman-rescued-from-glacier
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« Reply #56 on: November 04, 2013, 11:22:37 am »


Extreme skier killed on Aoraki-Mount Cook named

‘What they were doing was pretty extreme’

By TRACY MILES - The Press | 9:46AM - Monday, 04 November 2013

Magnus Kastengren in Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park a week before his death. — Photo: Tyrone Low.
Magnus Kastengren in Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park
a week before his death. — Photo: Tyrone Low.


KIWI MOUNTAINEERS who climbed the east face of Aoraki-Mount Cook with Magnus Kastengren are struggling to understand how the experienced Swedish ski mountaineer came unstuck just days later.

Kastengren, aged in his 30s, died after falling 600 metres while skiing on Aoraki-Mount Cook yesterday. His climbing partner, Andreas Fransson, alerted the Department of Conservation Aoraki-Mount Cook Alpine Rescue Team to his friend's fall about 8.30am.

Wanaka-based Tyrone Low, 28, and Christchurch's Nick Begg, 26, had "a perfect day" climbing and skiing the East Face of Aoraki-Mount Cook with the Swedish pair last week.

"We skiied from the summit down the face. It has not been skiied many times. Most people ski it from the ridgeline. We met the night before and flew in together because we were going to the same place. It was just by chance that we were both going in at the same time to do the same thing," said Low.

He and Begg left Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park on Saturday and returned to Wanaka only to discover that one of their new friends had died yesterday.

They found out it was Kastengren this morning.

"It is a bizarre situation - finding out through the news and only having met him a week ago. We were basically living in each other's laps for a week," said Low.

The four climbers spent four nights at Plateau Hut together and climbed the East Face of Aoraki-Mount Cook on Tuesday.

"Immediately we were joking around with them and having a good time. Magnus was a pretty funny dude. We played a bit of cards with them and a bit of chess. We shared stories. They were both quite experienced. We found it pretty interesting to find out what they had been up to overseas," said Low.

"They had both been wanting to come to New Zealand for a long time. They were really happy to be here."

Low said at first he and Begg could not believe that Kastengren — a "sensible" climber — had died, because he was extremely experienced.

"They took pretty good precautions to stay safe. Every decision they made the day we were with them was a really good one. We roped up when we needed to," he said.

"They are two of the world's best ski mountaineers. Andreas is definitely well known and Magnus has done a lot of technical stuff. It is pretty hard to know what these guys were standing on when Magnus fell. It could have been the smallest patch of ice."


Magnus Kastengren, the Swedish climber who died on Aoraki-Mount Cook, is pictured here on his way to Plateau Hut in Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park last week. — Photo: Tyrone Low.
Magnus Kastengren, the Swedish climber who died on Aoraki-Mount Cook, is pictured here on his way
to Plateau Hut in Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park last week. — Photo: Tyrone Low.


Lake Tekapo Senior Constable Brent Swanson said the men were skiing when the accident happened.

Kastengren was near the Summit Ridge Porter Col of Aoraki-Mount Cook when he fell.

The alpine rescue party took a helicopter to the scene yesterday, where they established he had died.

The rescue team returned Fransson at 11.50am and retrieved the body of Kastengren at 12.20pm. Fransson has since returned to Sweden.

The climbing pair went into the park with the intention of climbing Aoraki-Mount Cook.

They were skiing/traversing at 3700m towards the lower summit of the mountain.

They were described as very experienced and had successfully ski/climbed the East Face of Aoraki-Mount Cook and The Footstool the previous week.

At the time the call came in members of the DOC Alpine Rescue Team were in the park carrying out alpine rescue training with members of LandSAR NZ.


Aoraki-Mount Cook

SERIES OF TRAGIC INCIDENTS

Department of Conservation services manager Mike Davies said yesterday's was the third death at Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park since September.

"These things can go in phases. Certainly over the last couple of years things have been fairly quiet in terms of incidents.

"We have had plenty of incidents but not to the same extent we have had this early in the season."

In September, Duncan Robert Rait, 36, a New Zealander living in Melbourne, died after falling 150m.

He was with a group of ski mountaineers who were dropped off near the Tasman Saddle Hut. After the helicopter left, they started making their way down the ridge to the hut a few hundred metres away.

While walking to the hut, Mr Rait, an experienced alpinist, slipped on ice and fell down a gully and over a bluff.

The next day, Englishman Robert Buckley, 32, died after falling 700m near the Mount Sefton Bivvy, above the Mueller Glacier.

He had been living and working in Christchurch.

Mr Buckley had been climbing with three others. They had hired some climbing equipment earlier in the day and had managed to get within 80m of the bivvy when he slipped on ice.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/9358698/Extreme-skier-killed-on-Aoraki-Mount-Cook-named
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« Reply #57 on: December 24, 2013, 01:24:56 pm »


Mount Cook in a day, on four jet-planes

There wasn't time to savour the view from the summit
of Aoraki-Mount Cook, nor much to savour at all.


By TOM HUNT - The Timaru Herald | 1:38PM - Tuesday, 24 December 2013

JET FUEL

FOUR jet-plane lollies were all the fuel needed to summit New Zealand's highest peak for an adventurer who has battled the literal highs and lows of New Zealand.

Grant Rawlinson, 39, and Alan Silva, 52, began their "peak to peak" journey from the peak of Ruapehu, the North Island's highest peak, on December 1st.

They completed their quest on Sunday by climbing New Zealand's highest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook.

Between the two peaks they cycled and kayaked the route, including paddling Cook Strait.

"We wanted a very challenging adventure, which was unique, close to home and did not bust our bank accounts," Rawlinson, who is originally from Taranaki but lives in Singapore, said.

The pair cycled seven days from Picton to the base of Aoraki/Mount Cook.

"We had tired legs when we reached Aoraki/Mount Cook, and standing at the base looking up to the summit over 3,000 metres above our heads was a bit daunting knowing we had to climb it," Rawlinson said.


JET FUELED: Grant Rawlinson on the peak of Aoraki-Mount Cook on Sunday.
JET FUELED: Grant Rawlinson on the peak of Aoraki-Mount Cook on Sunday.

The pair spent 21.5 hours climbing to the summit of Aoraki/Mount Cook and back down on Sunday.

They were the only people on the mountain and had to deal with "huge crevasses" in the dark and icy conditions at the top. In addition, Silvia had a stomach virus.

After a 12-hour climb, the pair reached the top, staying just five minutes before heading down again, Rawlinson said.

"I was pretty scared about the descent. I knew we were quite late, and the route is heavily threatened by avalanches. I made a promise to my wife from the summit, that if I got down safely, I would never return and climb Aoraki/Mount Cook again.

"And the descent was dangerous; we were getting rained on by ice falling from ice cliffs and had to cross a lot of fresh avalanche debris — it really felt like something big was going to drop down us at any point.

"When we got back to the safety of the hut we were pretty tired. I had only eaten four jet-plane lollies and 750 millilitres of water over the last 21.5 hours."

The adventure raised money for the Stratford and Toko volunteer fire departments in Taranaki, which helped save Rawlinson's sister's life after a car accident in 2012.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/9551380/Mt-Cook-in-a-day-on-four-jet-planes
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« Reply #58 on: February 10, 2014, 08:23:27 am »


from the HERALD on SUNDAY....

Girl with head in clouds

By RYAN KEEN and PHILIP CHANDLER | 8:07AM - Sunday, February 09, 2014

Sarah Schreiber and her father Frank scaled Single Cone, the highest point of The Remarkables. — Photo: Mountain Scene.
Sarah Schreiber and her father Frank scaled Single Cone, the highest point of The Remarkables.
 — Photo: Mountain Scene.


A 7-YEAR-OLD GIRL has made a fearless climb of the towering Remarkables mountain range.

Queenstown Primary's Sarah Schreiber knocked off the jagged rocky peaks' highest point Single Cone, which stands at 2,320 metres, with her father Frank last weekend.

The pair took the challenging northeast ridge route which over looks some substantial drops and requires some careful climbing, with the option of using ropes for precaution in places.

It also requires some daunting abseiling down an exposed descent gully.

Queenstown climbing veteran and local Alpine Cliff Rescue boss Chris Prudden is impressed: "It's a good ask for a 7-year-old to stay focused for that long and keep the effort up."

"For a 7-year-old to get up there is a great achievement."

Frank Schreiber said his daughter is very outdoorsy and loves mountains but her lack of fear surprised even him.

"I said ‘Are you scared?’ She said, ‘No, it's all right’."

"We got up to the top and there's another 3m to the actual tippy top, and she was not on the rope and was like ‘Oh well that's where the pole is’ and ran up. She was like ‘Wow, that's cool, where's Queenstown?’"

Sarah said the only thing she was nervous about during the climb and descent was not getting to the top — and matching the feat of 9-year-old brother Ben who did it last year with Frank.

"I was a bit nervous when going up because I really wanted to get up to the top 'cos it was my first time going up there and because it was the highest peak of The Remarkables," she says.

"I'm really happy. It was a big achievement."

Prudden adds: "The best thing about it is it's a young person not totally distracted away from the natural world and into computers and computer games."

"In the long term they'll take that with them, both as a realisation and awareness of the real world around us which is pretty cool."

Queenstown Climbing Club president Guillaume Charton said Sarah may be the youngest to make the summit.

Charton invited her to attend a club Youth Climbing Camp at Mount Cook at the end of the month.


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11198688
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« Reply #59 on: July 16, 2014, 09:53:36 pm »


Australian soldier killed in crevasse fall on Aoraki/Mount Cook



               (click on the photograph to read the news story)
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« Reply #60 on: July 16, 2014, 10:50:26 pm »


It beggars belief why anybody would walk around on the Grand Plateau in winter or spring without roping up for glacier travel.

It's the most basic rule No.1 of moving around on glacier basins or nevés.

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« Reply #61 on: July 16, 2014, 11:53:19 pm »


from The Press....

Avalanche hits Mount Cook hut

By CHARLIE GATES and NATASHA THYNE | 2:25PM - Wednesday, 16 July 2014

AVALANCHE TRAIL: The Gardiner Hut has nearly disappeared under the debris. — Photo: NZ Alpine Club.
AVALANCHE TRAIL: The Gardiner Hut has nearly disappeared under the debris. — Photo: NZ Alpine Club.

A LARGE and “very rare” avalanche has engulfed a climber's hut on Aoraki/Mount Cook.

New Zealand Alpine Club general manager Sam Newton said it appeared that no one was injured in the large rockfall, which may have happened at night.

“The rockfall covers a very, very big area,” he said. “Rockfalls like this are very rare and hardly ever approach this size. This one is big.”

The rockfall happened on the South Ridge, or Hillary Ridge, of the mountain and swept down Noeline Glacier and over Pudding Rock, where the Gardiner Hut sits. It was reported by a pilot yesterday.

Photographs show the tin hut, which can sleep about eight people, engulfed in small rocks and moved off its foundations.


DAMAGED: Gardiner Hut on Aoraki-Mount Cook was hit by an avalance. — Photo: NZ Alpine Club.
DAMAGED: Gardiner Hut on Aoraki-Mount Cook was hit by an avalance. — Photo: NZ Alpine Club.

The rockfall is the third to strike the area in the last 18 months.

There was one on the other side of South Ridge near Ball Pass and another near Mount Haast.

DOC said there were no records of visitors to the area at the time of the avalanche and aerial investigations did not indicate anyone had been caught in the incident.

The hut was in a remote spot, used only by experienced alpine climbers.

DOC services manager Mike Davies said following a helicopter inspection it was working with GNS Science to assess the stability of the area before a more detailed investigation of damage.

Until then, people were asked to keep out of the Noeline Glacier region of the upper Hooker valley.

The Hooker Track is unaffected.




http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/10273447/Avalanche-hits-Mount-Cook-hut
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« Reply #62 on: July 17, 2014, 08:36:55 pm »




   (click on the picture to read the news story)



An update on yesterday's story about the fatality involving an Australian soldier:

Instructor fell to death on Aoraki/Mt Cook
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« Reply #63 on: August 17, 2014, 01:44:17 pm »


from Chopper crash victim named....

Chopper crash victim named

By CHE BAKER | 12:12PM - Sunday, 17 August 2014

CHOPPER DOWN: An injured man is taken from a helicopter to the Wanaka Medical Centre. Six of the seven people onboard a helicopter that crashed on Mount Alta near Wanaka at 12.20pm on Saturday were injured. One person died. — CHE BAKER/Fairfax NZ.
CHOPPER DOWN: An injured man is taken from a helicopter to the Wanaka Medical Centre.
Six of the seven people onboard a helicopter that crashed on Mount Alta near Wanaka
at 12.20pm on Saturday were injured. One person died. — CHE BAKER/Fairfax NZ.


THE heli-skier killed when the helicopter he was in crashed near Wanaka has been named.

He was Jerome Box, 52, from Grey Lynn in Auckland.

Five heli-skiers, members of St Paul's Church in Auckland, were on the helicopter when it came down on Mount Alta.

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission has launched an inquiry into the crash and investigators were expected to inspect the site later today or tomorrow.

Three Transport Accident Investigation Commission investigators are on their way to the site of a fatal helicopter crash near Wanaka.

The wreckage of the Helicopter Line-operated Squirrel AS350 B2 belonging to Harris Mountains Heliski remained on the mountain after it crashed yesterday when it was believed it clipped the side of the mountain.

Commission communications and investigation support general manager Peter Northcote said it was “too early” to decide what would happen with the wreckage of the helicopter.

Four injured people were airlifted to Dunedin Hospital in serious but stable condition. Their injuries were not believed to be life threatening. Two people were treated at Wanaka Medical Centre for minor injuries.

A hospital spokeswoman confirmed ski guide Mark Sedon was a patient who was undergoing tests and waiting for assessment.

She refused to comment further.

The pilot, believed to be Dave Matthews, suffered minor injuries in the crash.

HMH director Mark Quickfall said the company would assist and work with the relevant authorities to determine the cause of the accident.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/10391707/Chopper-crash-victim-named








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« Reply #64 on: October 22, 2014, 05:18:18 pm »



Climbers rescued from icy Mt Tasman


NZ Newswire

Updated October 22, 2014, 3:50 pm

Two climbers have been rescued on Mt Tasman after the risk of avalanche made it impossible for them to move up or down the mountain.

Police say the experienced climbers from Queenstown became stuck 50m from the summit when they realised the warm weather and snow meant they could not use their snow anchors without risking an avalanche.

Unable to go up or down, the men - aged 28 and 30 - activated their emergency beacon as the weather deteriorated.

With the help of a helicopter, the Aoraki Mt Cook Rescue Team and Alpine Guides long-lined the men one at a time to a safe staging area at Plateau Hut.

They were then flown to the Emergency Services Building at Mt Cook village.
The men had set off at 3am to climb the north shoulder of Mt Tasman before they became stuck on Wednesday morning.
https://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/25320656/climbers-rescued-from-icy-mt-tasman/

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« Reply #65 on: December 13, 2014, 11:38:44 am »


from The Press....

Climber falls from Aoraki/Mount Cook

By CECILE MEIER | 10:46AM - Saturday, 13 December 2014

SEARCH SCENE: Aoraki-Mount Cook.
SEARCH SCENE: Aoraki-Mount Cook.

A CLIMBER has fallen from the north side of Aoraki/Mount Cook's east ridge this morning.

A search and rescue (SAR) operation has been launched from the Mount Cook Emergency Centre.

A group of climbers raised the alarm shortly at approximately 7.30am by radio. There were no reports of anyone else being injured at this stage.

SAR personnel from the Aoraki Alpine Rescue Team were establishing a staging area near Katies Col.


AORAKI-MOUNT COOK

Canterbury Police are leading a SAR team including the Aoraki Alpine Rescue Team, Heli Line Helicopters based at Mount Cook and support is being requested from Westpac Helicopter.

Weather in Mount Cook village is overcast with low cloud but the climbers are understood to be above cloud level in clear conditions.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/64122209/Climber-falls-from-Aoraki-Mount-Cook
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« Reply #66 on: December 13, 2014, 03:29:22 pm »


Canterbury climber dead in Mount Cook fall

The New Zealand Herald | 10:26AM - Saturday, December 13, 2014

Aoraki-Mount Cook. The East Ridge is visible rising from the left of the photograph to the Middle Peak of the mountain.
Aoraki-Mount Cook. The East Ridge is visible rising from the left of the photograph to the Middle Peak of the mountain.

A MAN who fell from a ridge on the country's tallest mountain is dead, police have confirmed.

Police said four “experienced climbers” from the Canterbury region were understood to have set out from Plateau Hut early this morning to climb Aoraki-Mount Cook's east ridge.

They raised the alarm about 7.30am after one of their team fell as they traversed the ridge.

A search and rescue operation was launched involving police, and the Aoraki Alpine Rescue Team.

That was changed to a body recovery operation this afternoon.

Police said the Canterbury man's death had been referred to the coroner and none of his details would be released until formal identification had taken place and his next of kin informed.

The three uninjured members of the climbing party had returned to Plateau Hut to be picked up by a Heli Line helicopter.

The search and rescue team was being brought back to the Mount Cook Emergency Centre where planning for the recovery operation was underway.

The weather in Mount Cook village was improving with scattered cloud clearing. The recovery site was understood to be above cloud level.

Police said the recovery wold take place as soon as it was practical.

Canterbury Rural Area Commander (Mid South) Inspector Dave Gaskin said it was a tragic start to the climbing season.

“Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of the climber and the other members of his climbing party.”

“The east ridge of Aoraki Mt Cook is an extreme climbing area. The group of climbers were very experienced and were well prepared and had planned their trip in advance. Unfortunately very rare incidents such as this occur from time to time.”


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11373759
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« Reply #67 on: December 13, 2014, 08:07:15 pm »

Just wondering how long it will be before John Key gets the blame...not enough well maintained tracks up the mountain?
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« Reply #68 on: December 13, 2014, 08:39:12 pm »


Well....unlike the previous Prime Minister, John Key is too gutless to head off into the mountains.

There....that's all that needs to be said about the matter.
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« Reply #69 on: December 13, 2014, 08:48:10 pm »

ahh..you will no doubt be referring to Mt Eden..yes great morning stroll..

..and apparently she was keen on other high risk pursuits (to herself and the NZ public)...ordering her driver to drive at more than 200Km/hour on South Island roads....yes theres no doubt about Heir Helen...what balls she has..probably more balls that you eh Brucie Wink
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« Reply #70 on: December 13, 2014, 09:45:29 pm »


Helen Clark was a regular client of Gottleib Braun-Elwert from Tekapo.

They even went climbing together in the Andes in Chile while she was PM.

And unlike John Key, Helen used to bugger off and leave her police entourage behind, because she wasn't a scardy cat like the current PM, who even takes his entourage on holiday to Hawaii with him because he needs somebody to hold his hand so he can feel brave.

But you'd be too stupid to know about Gottleib.

He actually died at high altitude of a brain eneurysm while on a climbing expedition with Helen Clark in Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park.

But being a gutless wonder (like your hero, John Key), you wouldn't even know what is in a wonderful place like that.

You need to be brave (instead of being a frightened rat) to venture into that sort of terrain.

But not to worry....you can always indulge in a bit of that torture you support, such as pulling the wings off flies. I bet that would make you feel brave.
 
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« Reply #71 on: December 13, 2014, 10:00:54 pm »

Brucie...."They even went climbing together in the Andes in Chile while she was PM."

..hahaha...yeah what ..the Andes foothills Wink..maybe that high altitude work and oxygen deprivation was her downfall Wink

..I am actually happier that John Key is sticking to the day job...instead of buggering off hill climbing all over the world at the taxpayers expense..I think if you have been elected to run a country , the job should be taken seriously which obviously John Key does Grin

..and by all accounts..he seems to be doing a good job judging by the over 50% of the vote he got Wink
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« Reply #72 on: December 22, 2014, 02:23:20 pm »

Yup...ban it...or.. get the idiots to pay for their own rescue costs Wink
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« Reply #73 on: December 22, 2014, 06:46:54 pm »

...Make the idiots pay Roll Eyes

Bay of Islands Emergency Services Far North District... Royal NZ Coastguard Search and Rescue Weather
12:13 PM Monday Dec 22, 2014

Up to $10,000 of taxpayers' money was spent on a rescue in Northland over the weekend for a group of Aucklanders "who were not in real danger", police say.

Police, Coastguard and a rescue helicopter were all involved in the search and rescue of two men, aged 25 and 33, who became stuck on a remote Bay of Islands walking track in poor weather on Saturday night after one of the men injured his knee.

A third man with the group had tramped to a Department of Conservation (DoC) hut for shelter, taking the group's only torch with him, police said.

The trio set out to walk the Cape Brett track at Saturday lunchtime, thinking it would take just two hours, but by 9pm raised the alarm when one of them became injured and couldn't continue.

They were able to give their approximate location to police, and the Northland Emergency Services Trust (NEST) rescue chopper was sent out to find them.


However, low cloud around the hills prevented the helicopter from getting close. Coastguard took a police search and rescue team to Cape Brett in "very difficult and trying conditions" in the dark.

The injured man was found at 1.30am, huddled under a sleeping bag with his friend on an exposed ridge.

His injuries were deemed to be minor, officer in charge of SAR Senior Sergeant Cliff Metcalfe said, and he was walked to the DoC hut, arriving around 4am.

The group was picked up by Coastguard around 9am on Sunday and taken back to Waitangi.

Mr Metcalfe said the men should not have attempted the hike "given their poor preparation and personal fitness levels".

"They were totally unprepared for what they attempted to do," he said.

"They disregarded the weather reports of heavy rain and strong winds, were not fit enough to walk the track and succumbed to fatigue eight hours into the walk. The knee injury was minor and the person was able to walk out to the hut under his own steam in the end."

The group's lack of preparation could "easily have compounded the situation if SAR had not reached them in time", Mr Metcalfe said.

"Their food consisted of 10 packets of two-minute noodles and they had less than two litres of water each. They were not carrying wet weather clothing despite the weather forecasts, had no shelter and had one sleeping bag between two people," he said.

"They hadn't enquired about the walk or the time it would take them to get to the hut, the terrain they may encounter, nor did they consult with DoC or pay attention to the track sign information at the start of the track."

The rescue operation would have set taxpayers back by between $5000 and $10,000 for "two people who were not in real danger", Mr Metcalfe said, as police have to foot the bill for calling the helicopter out on a rescue mission.

- NZME.
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« Reply #74 on: December 23, 2014, 03:18:08 am »


Oh dear....“el thicko” (that idiot reality) doesn't know the difference between a low-altitude coastal track and high-altitude alpine adventure.

Or perhaps he is just plain too dumb to start a thread about idiots stuffing up at low altitude?

You gotta wonder about that reality idiot, eh?


« Last Edit: December 23, 2014, 03:23:29 am by Kiwithrottlejockey » Report Spam   Logged

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