Stories

Here we share stories from the alpine community, as a way to use learnings from others to improve avalanche safety, alpine skills and awareness. Dive into the stories below and share!

"That’s All It Took, One Wrong Step"

Joe and his mate had done everything right this morning before heading out for a ski in The Remarkables backcountry. They checked the avalanche danger with The Remarkables Ski Patrol, completed all the right snowpack tests and were carrying the right equipment. Read more

Rescued Ice Climbers Admit Pushing Limits Too Far

“We just pushed it too far,” says one of the ice climbers rescued off The Remarkables on July 2.  “The ice climb was great, but then it turned to probably the worst day of my life. Read more

A personal quest for avalanche awareness  | Owen's story

Miscalculations and poorly based decisions while on the mountain can be enough to change one's perspective on safety.  
For Owen Daniell, this rings true as he reflects on a “terrifying” avalanche incident while ski mountaineering two years ago in Mt Aspiring National Park. Read more

It’s not a waste of a trip if you survive right? | Will's story

To climb Aoraki/Mt Cook’s East Ridge to then ski 2000m down New Zealand’s largest skiable slope is not for the faint hearted. Rather, it’s for three of the country’s most skilled and confident alpine and ski mountaineers. Read more

As told by an avalanche forecaster | Chris Cochrane

Knowing a mountainous region like the back of your hand is a special skill, but it’s the reality for the forecasters of the New Zealand Avalanche Advisory’s (NZAA) 12 regions. Read more

Avalanche Fatality Results in Safety Recommendations

Despite planning a well-prepared mountaineering trip in the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, three Australian mates failed to acknowledge the obvious signs of avalanche risks around them and didn’t change their plans accordingly before one of them died in an avalanche, a report to the coroner says. Read more

'That’s miracle sort of stuff'

Early on the morning of Friday 12 February 2021, word spread of an avalanche incident involving two climbers on Mt Earnslaw. This is their story. Read more