Yesterday, 27 December, I left Tekapo at 5.50 am for a trip to Aoraki Mt. Cook, home to the highest peaks in New Zealand. I worked for the Natiuonal Park in 1971-73 as a mountaineer-general where I had mountain rescue, guiding and general conservation work. The best years of my life. In the winter, there were 350 women working in the tourist trade and only 90 men. But it was the mountains that called me back and back again since i foirst climbed here in 1966..
My first view of Aoraki Mount Cook looking across Lake Pukaki. Photo: Bob McKerrow
Trees, lake and mountains as I drive closer. Photo: Bob McKerrow
A reak delight to see the NZ Alpine Club. Photo: Bob McKerrow
A close-up of the summits of Aoraki Mt. Cook. The east ridge is on the right skyline an ascent I did with Chris Timms in Dec 1971 Photo: Bob McKerrow
One of the old cottages at the Hermitage and Mt. Sefton (l) and Footstoll (r). photo: Bob McKerrow
A statue of Sir Edmund Hillary who learnt to climb on ice and snow at Mount Cook and started climbing with Harry Ayres. Photo: Bob McKerrow
A close-up of the summits of Aoraki Mt. Cook. The east ridge is on the right skyline an ascent I did with Chris Timms in Dec 1971 Photo: Bob McKerrow
The south face of Aoraki Mount Cook and to the left of the south face is the Hillary Ridge. Photo: Bob McKerrow
Compare the above photos to the one I took in the winter of 1972 . Photo: Bob McKerrow
5 comments:
Dear Bob
Great pictures! I lived there for a few years even doing a winter as warden at Unwin, and I know that other cottage too.
Looking forward to any more postings you may make of your homeland.
Cheers
Donald
As I crossed Fred's stream I knew I was home. Memories cascaded on me like a waterfall. People I knew, Harry Ayres, Mick Bowie, Hap and Junee Ashurst, Duncan Darroch, Lyn Crawford, Keith McIvor, Bruce Jenkinson, Kevin Carroll, Bill Denz, Noel Sissions and Mary Atkinson, Faye Kerr, Rob Hall, John Hume, Helen Irwin, Gary Ball, Bill Hauke, Vern Leader, Russ Edwards, Paul Powell, Vicky Thompsom, Jill Tremaine,Oscar Coberger, Jack Cox, Frank Alack...the
names of those who died kust keep cascading.
As I crossed Fred's stream I knew I was home. Memories cascaded on me like a waterfall. People I knew, Harry Ayres, Mick Bowie, Hap and Junee Ashurst, Duncan Darroch, Lyn Crawford, Keith McIvor, Bruce Jenkinson, Kevin Carroll, Bill Denz, Noel Sissions and Mary Atkinson, Faye Kerr, Rob Hall, John Hume, Helen Irwin, Gary Ball, Bill Hauke, Vern Leader, Russ Edwards, Paul Powell, Vicky Thompsom, Jill Tremaine,Oscar Coberger, Jack Cox, Frank Alack...the
names of those who died kust keep cascading.
Bob - I am writing the biography of Felice Benuzzi, author of No Picnic on Mt Kenya. He got halfway up Mt Cook with Henry Ashurst and Oscar Coberger before bad weather set in. He also met Harry Ayres on that 1953 trip. Is Hap still around?
Rory
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