Jamie Vinton-Boot, pictured above with wife Jess, was knocked off his feet and killed in an avalanche yesterday.
Since the birth of his first child this year Jamie Vinton-Boot had toned down his risky mountain climbing - and he was on familiar terrain walking to a well-known spot when he was knocked over by an avalanche.
The 30-year-old died when he was swept 500m down the Remarkables mountain
range near Queenstown at 8.35am yesterday while out with climbing buddy Steve Fortune.
One of Mr Vinton-Boot's best friends and climbing companions, Paul Hersey, told the Herald how the Christchurch-based engineering consultant, and New Zealand Mountaineer of the Year, had become more conservative in his feats since the birth of his son, Mahe, eight months ago.
His wife, Jess, had travelled to Queenstown with her husband while he prepared for a climbing festival, and was being supported by family and friends, Mr Hersey said.
"He's a very earnest, stand-up, honest guy ... he'll be sorely missed. He was certainly one of the strongest climbers on the New Zealand climbing scene and really well-known in the New Zealand climbing community, it's a huge loss."
