Page 17 - 2008 AMA Summer

Mick booker enjoying the front seat on the flight in.
Wipeout!
weren’t going to make it gerous retreat, yet spectacu­
trying to get a grip of myself, and speed up to generate some heat; the wind-chill was becoming a concern.
The weather report improved and tw o days later we attem pted the sum m it. I remember the feeling the evening before we set off as I lay in my doss bag; it wasn’t so much fear as anticipation. I
am pretty familiar with this feeling, but it’s never a com­ fortable one....
before dark, though. A radio discussion ensued between our two ropes and David, back at the plateau hut. Kind words from David, “just make sure you get back safe” will stick with me as the three abseiled down to meet us. We sorted a belay point, and organised ourselves to get five guys off as quickly as possible, aided by the full
lar, bringing alive all those school Geography lessons and reminding us how good judgement is the key to keep­ ing alive in these harsh envi­ ronments.
Two days R&R followed in Christchurch with equally bad judgement on how much we should live it up! We flew home sleep-deprived but with grins on our faces.
Although the hazards of loose rock in certain areas do require particular attention, I would thoroughly recommend mountaineering and skiing in the Southern Alps. The region is accessible from the rest of the island and has excellently maintained hut and emergen­ cy facilities. Also available in Mt Cook village are heli and ski planes, cheap accom m o­ dation, mountaineering shop, great food and great people; it is a fine place to stay.
Massive thanks to Ann and David Fairey for their kind­ ness and excellent company, and big cheers to the blokes on the team. It was an awe­ some trip.
All too soon it was 2 am and
we were in our kit, scoffed
and brewed and ready to step
out into the blackness. Two
hours later we had reached
huge crevasses. I was
intensely aware of my mortal­
ity as we walked past one you
could drop a jumbo jet into.
Five insignificant ants wan­ moon. dering around the huge vast­
ness, our worlds shrunk to blobs of light turning grey into a glistening white.
As the 20th hour approached, we were welcomed into the light of the hut with familiar smiling faces. We were disap­ pointed but relieved to be back safely. We wrapped our cold hands around mugs of hot sweet tea and laughed.
As dawn approached, we
quickly ascended the ‘gun
barrel’, a funnel that travels
steeply up to the Linda shelf;
aptly named due to the ice
blocks that avalanche down
from the hanging glacier
above. We climbed quickly,
two years previous, four local
climbers had lost their lives Tasman Glaciers. We here. We reached the massive abseiled, down climbed, east face, swung out up the picked our way at first rocky northeast ridge, con­ through the crevasses, then stantly tapping and wiggling
suspicious rocks; more than once the shriek “BELOW!” pierced the gentle breeze.
I panted loudly pushing my pace, trying to find a balance between speed and safety. I was seconding and doing my best not to slow my rope buddy down; all too aware that earlier my crampon had twist­ ed off my boot in a slot, taking precious time to sort out.
Up we went, snatching some­ thing to eat or drink on the hoof. Eventually it became clear we were still too slow. The decision was made, Phil’s team, (Beefcake and Mike) moving alone would be faster to the summit. Even they
the ice, and by torchlight, the miles of moraine that eventu­ ally led to a track and towards civilisation. It was a long, tir­ ing, and at some points dan­
Three days later we walked out. With only one plane flight able to get in, most of us set off down the Freshfield and
ZacDunningskillingtimeintheplateauhut.
ARMY MOUNTAINEER 15