Mt Cook climb criticised

Press, 4 February 1980, Page 2

Mt Cook climb criticised

The unsuccessful Radio Windy-sponsored attempt by three Wellington men to scale Mount Cook at the week-end ■ has drawn some criticism from- a former president of the Mountain Guides Association.

The men, Roger Foley, Lawrence Tye, and Chris McGuire, had attempted to. fly by private plane from Wellington on Friday evening; scale the mountain, and return home by Sunday evening. The trio climbed through Cinerama col to the Grand Plateau and were headed for the foot of Ridge when “the warm temperatures and soft . snow turned them Sack.

Mr G. Wills, general manager and chief guide ’ of ’Alpine Guides (Mount ;Cobk) Ltd, while commenting that the men had' shown good judgment in turning back in the' conditions, felt that sponsored competitiveness- in.

the n.-jntains could be extremely dangerous. “When the snow is melting, that is the time to go rafting,” said Mr Wills. That is what they did — by floating down the Tasman River from the terminal face of the Tasman Glacier and flying out from Mount Cook last evening.

The three men were competing against the mountain within a certain, time span and if sponsorship put pressure on the climbers their judgment could be affected, said Mr Wills; ■-/-

“Given good .weather and. go.od conditions the foray was perfectly, fehsiftlh. But if. conditions werg Unsuitable and it was impossible to .'meet the time factor, then it Would i be foolhardy and irresponsible ; to press on iri sufefi conditions. “The group retreated7in the face of poor conditions and displayed good judgment,”- said Mr Wills. 'J