Avalanche survivor: It's just horrible

By MONIQUE DEVEREUX and NZPA

A survivor of the avalanche that killed four men on Mt Tasman yesterday says the accident happened too quickly for anyone to react.

"There was no time to realise what was happening," Mark Dossor, a 35-year-old Wellington investment consultant, said from his Christchurch Hospital bed last night.

"I just remember seeing a crack appear above our belay [rope winching device] and then it was all go. It's just horrible what's happened."

Climbers dug with their hands and poles to try to save the six men swept away in the avalanche on New Zealand's second-highest mountain.

But only two survived.

New Year celebrations were subdued in Wanaka last night as news spread that three of the town's alpine climbing fraternity had died in the avalanche.

They included two of New Zealand's most experienced climbers, Dave Hiddleston and Paul Scaife, directors of the Wanaka company Aspiring Guides.

Mr Hiddleston leaves a partner, Anna, who is overseas. Mr Scaife was separated from his wife. They have two sons in their early 20s.

The third guide, Dave Gardner, 41, had worked for Aspiring for 18 months. He was from Tasmania, but had been living in Dunedin.

The fourth man killed on the mountain was one of their three clients, Australian doctor Andrew Platts, 31, of Wembley in West Australia.

The two other clients, Gabriel Amandor, 42, from California, and Mr Dossor survived and were airlifted to Christchurch Hospital.

Mr Amandor was in a critical condition last night. Mr Dossor had broken ribs, a broken sternum and a collapsed lung.

The climbers were three days into a planned six-day trip when the accident occurred yesterday morning about 8.30.

Mr Dossor said the three guides had climbed a rope length ahead. They had put in anchors and were preparing to bring their clients up when the avalanche hit.

Dr Platts was halfway up the rope at the time.

The avalanche swept the entire party between 400m and 500m down the mountainside, over a series of drops to the Grand Plateau.

Mr Scaife, Mr Gardner and Dr Platts were killed immediately.

Mr Hiddleston survived the fall, but had died by the time rescuers flew him by helicopter to Mt Cook village.

The alarm was raised by another Wanaka guide, Mike Roberts, who was on the same climb with a client.

The pair went to the aid of two Swedish climbers who were swept into a crevasse by the avalanche but were unhurt.

Mr Roberts was able to call for help immediately and give precise instructions on the location of the accident. Rescuers arrived within an hour.

Other climbers further down the mountain were not hit by the avalanche, and tried to free the men caught in it.

Those climbers were distraught at the sight of bodies strewn through the snow and were later airlifted off the mountain.



Aspiring Guides treats the trip the men were on as a "mini-expedition" and allows seven days for the journey.

The company website says: "The climb is predominantly moderate snow and ice on a ridge with minimal objective danger and stunning views of the Tasman Sea."

But mountaineers, especially those with the international experience of Mr Hiddleston and Mr Scaife, know the threat of avalanches.

Eighteen months ago, 35-year-old Mr Hiddleston became the 15th New Zealander to conquer Mt Everest, on his second attempt.

He had climbed in the Himalayas 13 times before.

Mr Scaife, 52, was one of New Zealand's climbing veterans. He had been mountain guiding for 27 years, after being introduced to mountaineering when he was 14.

Mr Scaife was also founder of Harris Mountains Heli-Ski, which operated in Queenstown and Wanaka and became the largest heli-ski operation outside North America.

Last year, he raised $40,000 for the Save the Children Fund by climbing nearly 50 peaks around Mt Cook.

Last night one of his oldest friends, fellow mountaineer Guy Cotter, praised Mr Scaife's achievements, calling him "an inspiration".

"He just loved being in the mountains; enthusiasm bubbled over from him all the time.

"Everyone who went into the hills with him enjoyed his company."

Mr Cotter was with Mr Hiddleston when he conquered Everest, although as expedition organiser rather than climber.

"He was fantastic, a warm person and really respected by everyone in the climbing fraternity because of his high level of skill.

"He put a lot into making every climb a really rewarding experience for his clients."

VICTIMS OF A MOUNTAIN


DEAD

Dave Hiddleston, 35, mountain guide, Lake Hawea. Director of Aspiring Guides.

Paul Scaife, 52, mountain guide, Wanaka. Director of Aspiring Guides, 35 years' mountain experience.

Dave Gardner, 40, mountain guide, Dunedin. New to Aspiring Guides, previously lived in Tasmania.

Andrew Platts, 31, climber, a doctor from Perth.

INJURED:

Gabriel Amandor, 42, California.

Mark Dossor, 35, investment consultant from Wellington.