Relief Climber Made It Home

Mountain Safety Council CEO Mike Daisley is relieved that the lost climber incident on Mt Aspiring has narrowly avoided becoming a fatality statistic.

“I think like a lot of people I was hoping for the best but feared the worst. Worryingly, we knew from our insights that 25% of mountaineering fatalities in New Zealand are from Australia, so we’re very glad he’s been found okay.

“It’s an amazing outcome; The rescue agencies that coordinated and responded to this tricky situation deserve a huge thanks for their skill and tenacity.

Daisley’s message to those who head into the mountains above the snowline, trampers, hunters and climbers was one of prudence and caution.

“Winter mountaineering is a high risk, high reward activity, and is certainly not for the faint of heart. However, there’s a degree of common sense that’s got to come into the planning of trips like this, especially if you’re solo.

“I think he’s probably sat there going over where he went wrong for many hours wondering if this would be the end for him. It would have been a bloody scary situation to be in.

“We urge people, especially those in the mountains solo, to err on the side of caution. There’s been a lot of snow in the last couple of days. The NZ Avalanche Advisory for the region was on high when he set out and the winds have been a factor as well.

Daisley wanted visiting climbers to pay attention to local knowledge and to do their homework on the risks involved.

“It’s a good example of where the right call was probably not to go. I know he’s come a long way to tick this one off, but it’s just not worth the ultimate price. If the locals aren’t keen on going up, you can be sure there’s a good reason why.”

There’s an average of 37 SAR for mountaineering each year and around 25,500 participants per annum.

#MakeItHomeNZ

ENDS

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