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The place for bushwalking topics that are not location specific.Climbers mourn loss of the best
Sat 25 Feb, 2012 9:45 am
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1202/S ... e-best.htm
Climbers mourn loss of the best
Saturday, 25 February 2012, 11:27 am
Press Release: NZ Alpine Club
PRESS RELEASE
Saturday 25 February 2012
Climbers mourn loss of the best
The New Zealand Alpine Club and climbers throughout New Zealand mourn the loss of one of the country’s most celebrated mountaineers in a fall in Fiordland on Thursday.
Athol Wimp was widely recognised as the country’s most accomplished mountaineer of the modern era, with a string of extreme ascents in New Zealand, South America and the Himalayas to his name. He had been climbing for 20 years and was an aficionado of a cutting-edge, lightweight style mountaineering (in direct contrast to the style used to climb Mt Everest) used only by the most technically proficient climbers. He was once quoted as saying:
“If you think you're a good alpinist, then you've got to climb hard routes on hard mountains. Without that, what is the point? “
In 1998 Mr Wimp won the coveted Piolet d’Or Award for his first ascent of the north face of Thalay Sagar in Northern India, with Australian Andrew Lindblade. He was the only New Zealander ever to win the award, given annually by the French Alpine Club for the finest international alpine achievement of the year. The pair won international accolades again two years later with a fast and light ascent of the technical north face of Jannu, Nepal , and then in 2003 when they attempted an unclimbed route on the giant west face of Gasherbrum IV in Pakistan.
Christchurch climber Matt Evrard, who was with Mr Wimp when he died, said they were traversing easy terrain close to Homer Saddle.
“It was easy, not somewhere where climbers would put on a rope, but very exposed, so the consequences of slip either side was fatal,” he said.
Mr Wimp began climbing in the mid-80’s after finishing a career in the New Zealand Army as a Captain in the SAS. He was brought up on a farm near Rangiora, but moved to Melbourne twenty years ago to start a business.
Climbers mourn loss of the best
Saturday, 25 February 2012, 11:27 am
Press Release: NZ Alpine Club
PRESS RELEASE
Saturday 25 February 2012
Climbers mourn loss of the best
The New Zealand Alpine Club and climbers throughout New Zealand mourn the loss of one of the country’s most celebrated mountaineers in a fall in Fiordland on Thursday.
Athol Wimp was widely recognised as the country’s most accomplished mountaineer of the modern era, with a string of extreme ascents in New Zealand, South America and the Himalayas to his name. He had been climbing for 20 years and was an aficionado of a cutting-edge, lightweight style mountaineering (in direct contrast to the style used to climb Mt Everest) used only by the most technically proficient climbers. He was once quoted as saying:
“If you think you're a good alpinist, then you've got to climb hard routes on hard mountains. Without that, what is the point? “
In 1998 Mr Wimp won the coveted Piolet d’Or Award for his first ascent of the north face of Thalay Sagar in Northern India, with Australian Andrew Lindblade. He was the only New Zealander ever to win the award, given annually by the French Alpine Club for the finest international alpine achievement of the year. The pair won international accolades again two years later with a fast and light ascent of the technical north face of Jannu, Nepal , and then in 2003 when they attempted an unclimbed route on the giant west face of Gasherbrum IV in Pakistan.
Christchurch climber Matt Evrard, who was with Mr Wimp when he died, said they were traversing easy terrain close to Homer Saddle.
“It was easy, not somewhere where climbers would put on a rope, but very exposed, so the consequences of slip either side was fatal,” he said.
Mr Wimp began climbing in the mid-80’s after finishing a career in the New Zealand Army as a Captain in the SAS. He was brought up on a farm near Rangiora, but moved to Melbourne twenty years ago to start a business.
Re: Climbers mourn loss of the best
Fri 02 Mar, 2012 6:12 pm
Anyone can have an accident.
Regardless how you rationalize, its a shame.
Regardless how you rationalize, its a shame.
Re: Climbers mourn loss of the best
Fri 02 Mar, 2012 6:47 pm
You never know.. Just a mistake, then you're gone. That's why I take my time when out there.
Re: Climbers mourn loss of the best
Fri 02 Mar, 2012 11:27 pm
dplanet wrote:You never know.. Just a mistake, then you're gone. That's why I take my time when out there.
Sorry but I don't see the relevance
In most mountain accidents, it's because people are too slow that they are exposed to more danger than if they had been quicker. People refer to it as time in the shooting gallery...
Re: Climbers mourn loss of the best
Mon 05 Mar, 2012 2:44 pm
A real shame.
I still have the Rock magazine which featured his (their) ascent of Thalay Sagar; it was very inspirational reading at the time...from the comfort of an armchair...a real loss to the Alpine world
It is the nature of the 'game' tho right...inherently dangerous & often the critical mistakes are made on (so called) easy terrain....
I still have the Rock magazine which featured his (their) ascent of Thalay Sagar; it was very inspirational reading at the time...from the comfort of an armchair...a real loss to the Alpine world
It is the nature of the 'game' tho right...inherently dangerous & often the critical mistakes are made on (so called) easy terrain....
Re: Climbers mourn loss of the best
Mon 05 Mar, 2012 4:31 pm
stu wrote:It is the nature of the 'game' tho right...inherently dangerous & often the critical mistakes are made on (so called) easy terrain....
Or just bad timing...
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