History-making climber dies in avalanche

Press, 3 April 1980, Page 2

History-making climber dies in avalanche

NZPA-Reuter Katmandu An Australian who made the first winter ascent of the east ridge of Mount Cook last year has died in an avalanche in Nepal. He was Richard John Schmidt, who had lived in Wellington and had worked for the Mountain Safety Council. ■ Mr. Schmidt and two companions died' as they 'were climbing the 7646 m Annapurna 111 in midwest Nepal, the Ministry of Tourism announced. The other two victims were Stafford James Morse, aged 27, a farm worker, of Inverell, New South Wales; and Nicholas David Reeves, aged 27, a lawyer, of Camberwell.

In a radio message from the base camp, monitored in Katmandu, the manager of

the 15-man expedition, Mr Warwick Deacock of Mosman New South Wales, said the three died instantly in an avalanche on March 30. Mr Deacock said he was abandoning the expedition. He did not specify the height at which the victims died.The Australians had pitched their base camp on March 17 for their attempt on Annapurna 111 through the hitherto unconquered north face ridge. The leader of the expedition was Mr Colin Monteath, aged 31, of Barrington Street, Christchurch. Mr Monteath, a field. operations officer in the Antarctic Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, made the historic ascent of Mount Cook last year with Mr Schmidt.

The other Christchurch member was Dr H. B. Feamley, aged 45, the team’s medical officer.