Clothes and climbing gear have reportedly been found after three men were reported missing on New Zealand's highest peak yesterday. The party of two US mountain guides and one Canadian set off to summit Aoraki/Mt. Cook on Saturday but failed to return to meet their prearranged transportation on Monday.
According to a statement by New Zealand's police, the missing party includes Kurt Blair, 56, of Durango, Colorado, Carlos Romero, 50, of California and an unnamed Canadian climber. Blair and Romero are both certified alpine guides, according to the American Mountain Guides Association.
The trio flew part-way up the mountain to Plateau Hut to begin their ascent, and several hours after they were reported missing, mountain rescue teams discovered their belongings.
According to a Facebook post by Silverton Avalanche School in Colorado, where Blair was employed, the climbers are presumed deceased.
"We received notification from NZ authorities that the climbers appear to have taken a fatal fall from high upon the peak. Gear and equipment found from the party has helped SAR piece together the tragedy although remote, technical and heavily glaciated terrain coupled with deteriorating weather has prevented a recovery of the climbers."
Search efforts have been suspended due to heavy rain and snow in the area and are not expected to resume until at least Thursday.
Blair's profile on the AMGA website describes him as an avid rock climber and mountaineer who has climbed in Alaska, Canada, Yosemite, the Swiss Alps, Ecuador and the Himalayas.
SAS says the news is devastating, writing of Blair:
"Anyone who shared time with Kurt in the mountains knows that his calm demeanor and positive presence ran counter to the rough edges and sharp tongues so often exemplified by the hard scrabble ranks of mountain guides. He was the nicest guy you’d ever share a rope or trail or skin track with."
Standing at 12,218 ft in the southern Alps, Aoraki/Mt Cook is part of a mountain range that runs the entire length of the South Island and is a popular destination among alpine enthusiasts.
What are the dangers of mountaineering?
Climbing a peak like Aoraki entails mountaineering equipment and experience rather than simply hiking, and the case highlights the inherent dangers of the activity, even among the most highly skilled and qualified. Mountaineering involves exploration of remote areas at high altitudes, in avalanche-prone conditions and in adverse weather conditions.
For any mountaineering expedition, it is recommended you hire a professional guide. You will also be required to have the following gear, at minimum:
- Winter hiking boots or mountaineering boots
- Crampons
- Helmet
- Ice axe
- Harness and belay device
- Climbing ropes
- Carabiners
You can learn more in our article on the dangers of mountaineering.
