Postcards from dead climbers

The cross in the Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo. In the Church is a Book of Remembrance, a parchment book honouring all the early run holders, mountaineers, explorers, scientists, artists, blacksmiths, bullock drivers, innkeepers, coach drivers, wagoners, shearers, wool classes and rabbit inspectors. Photo: Bob McKerrow

When I placed a sprig of pine with small cones on Gary Ball’s grave at Burkes Pass today, and stepped back to say a few words to him, it brought back a flood of memories of sharing Plateau Hut with him in 1973, our friendship when I was editor of NZ Adventure magazine writing about his ascent of Mt. Everest with Pete Hillary and Rob Hall and the Seven Summits. Gary and Rob visiting our family when living at Franz Josef, and probably the most poignant moment was, the postcard I got from Gary, a month after he died. How many postcards have I received from climbers after their deaths ? I still have Robb Hall's one tucked away with Gary's. When mountaineers leave for the final push from base camp on big mountains, they know the risks they are taking and frequently send postcards to dear ones and friends, in case it is the last.

Gary Ball's headstone at Burkes Pass.

Hall and Ball. Back in Kodari, Nepal in May 1989 after a dramatic rescue off the north side of Everest in Tibet from left: 2 sherpas, Artur Hajzer, Gary Ball, and Rob Hall, (injured Andrzej Marciniak is in the bus)

The graveyard at Burkes Pass has a number of headstones inscribed with the deaths of mountaineers. One could lament the loss of great people but the cold stark facts show that mountaineering, skiing, snowboarding, serious tramping and rock climbing do have risks associated. I have been back in New Zealand 15 days and in that time, have read about two deaths in avalanches. A week before that was the tragic death of two people in the Tararuas.

Peter Hillary, Gary Ball and Rob Hall taken in Auckland in 1990 after their successful ascent of Mt. Everest. Peter Hillary is the only one of that dynamic trio who survived. Rob Hall died close to the summit of Mt. Everest in 1990. Photo: Bob McKerrow

Gary Ball, died on Mount Dhauagiri 6 October 1993. Knowing he had previous health problems at high altitude he gambled on getting away with it. Life is about taking calculated risks whether in the workplace, family or recreation. Looking round the cemetery I saw the headstones of other climbers who died either on Mount Cook or close by.

Burkes Pass cemetery

Here is some of the information I got from other headstones of mountaineers at Burkes Pass that may be of interest.

Gary Ball, died on Mount Dhauagiri 6 October 1993.
A quote on his tomb stone says "If I should bow my head let it be to a high mountain. "

Alistair Stevens, died from a fall on the Nth face of Mt. Barnicoat, Westland National Park, 8 April 2002

Keith Joyce, b. 21.3.48 in Sydney, died at Mt. Cook 9.8.84

Peter John Linscott, died on Mt. Cook 25.1.84, aged 21

Gerald Nansen, Mountaineer, died 6 March 1990 age 82, Psalm 121 quoted. At least Gerald had a full innings.

Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo. Photo: Bob McKerrow

As I am staying with my daughter Anita at her farmlet at Otipua, she and two of my grand children, Jed and Billy, accompanied me on this trip. The children brought laughter and warmth and livened up the Burkes Pass cemetery and the Church in Tekapo on this cold winter day.

With Grandsons Jed left, and Billy on my knee, at The Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo. Photo: Anita Mckerrow


The view one sees when you start the steady climb up to Burkes Pass in South Canterbury. Photo: Bob McKerrow

Burkes Pass is a mountain pass on State Highway 8 at the entrance to the Mackenzie country in South Canterbury, New Zealand. It is named after Michael John Burke, a graduate of Dublin University, who discovered the passageway leading into the Mackenzie Country in 1855. This was an alternative route to the Mackenzie Pass which the notorious sheep stealer, James Mckenzie, had used to take his sheep into the Otago goldfields.

Once down the other side of Burkes Pass, the peaks of the main divide are visible. I was curious to find out more about the Church of the Good Shepherd which was dedicated in 1935. Luckily I bumped into David Clark, a local authority on Tekapo and the Church. He showed me the inscription on a front pew 'In grateful Memory of Explorers & Climbers who have crossed the Great Divide. Presented by NZAC.'

David Clark (r) an expert on Tekapo and the history of the Church of the Good Shepherd. Photo: Anita McKerrow

Then David told me about the The Book of Remembrance which was under lock and key. a parchment book honouring all the early run holders, mountaineers, explorers, scientists, artists, blacksmiths, bullock drivers, coach drivers, innkeepers, wagoners, shearers, wool classers and rabbit inspectors.

David gingerly unlocked this treasure with the names written on old parchment in a very neat handwriting. Under the heading mountaineers, explorers, scientists and artists. the names were a walk through early New Zealand history.Julius von Haast, Broderick, Dr. and Mrs Lendenfeld, Green, Boss, Kaufman, Fitzgerald, Zurbriggen,, Mannering, Dixon, Harper, Fyfe, Graham, Jack Clark and Charles Blomfield the artist.
The Book of Remembrance was dedicated to Thomas John Teschmaker.

Next I asked David Clark about the death of Gottlieb Otto Braun-Elwert the mountain guide from Tekapo who died while guiding Helen Clarke, the Prime Minister of NZ, in 2008. See my article written last year.
http://bobmckerrow.blogspot.com/2008/08/prime-ministers-guide-dies.html

As a friend of Gottlieb's, I asked David the whereabouts of the hut that Gottlieb died in. " Here, take the binoculars and look out the Church window, just above the island, there's a ledge with the hut on it." I could pick the hut out quite easily in the Two Thumb range. Gottlieb's death was another tragedy.
David also spoke of another tragic death of Gottlieb's protege, Erica Beuzenberg who died in 2005 climbing in the Mount Cook region. With Erica, Gottlieb managed to put a new and attractive slant on the concept of first ascent in 1989 by being the first, with his climbing protege Erica Beuzenberg to climb all 20 of New Zealand's 3000m peaks in a single winter season.

Gottlieb Braun Elwert Erica Beuzenberg
Climbing Mt Cook, Mt Tasman, Mt Dampier and the rest in a period of months is feat enough on its own, but in winter they had the added burden of deep snow (they often used skis for access) and the risks of avalanches, intense cold and short days. Their feats will be remembered by many NZ mountaineers.
A memorial to sheepdogs who shaped the economy of farming in the region. Photo: Bob McKerrow

Lake Tekapo takes on a sombre mood late in the morning. Photo: Bob McKerrow

The township of Lake Tekapo. Photo: Bob McKerrow

Jed McKerrow resting in a snow tussock at Lake Tekapo. Photo: Anita McKerrow

As I drove back from Tekapo through Burkes Pass, I thought of all those mountaineers who have died at Mount Cook, in the Southern Alps and Himalaya, a subject I have written about before. The death which affected me the most was the death of my close friend Keith McIvor which made me reshape my views on hard climbing and pushing limits to far. See link below:

http://bobmckerrow.blogspot.com/2009/01/death-of-friend-keith-mcivor.html
The Church of the Good Shepherd at Tekapo, the cemetery at Burkes Pass are fitting memorials to those who died in the mountains. Today Gary Ball, Rob Hall, Gottlieb Braun Elwert, Erica Beuzenberg, Keith McIvor, Vicky Thompson and Bill Denz, climbers whom I knew well, were continually in my thoughts and prayers. When I got home I opened a bottle of fine Cabernet Savignon, and drank a toast to them. I also thought of Robb Kloss who is in the Ruahines. I prayed for your health and safe return Robb.


My favourite photo of Mount Cook, taken by me in the winter of 1972.