Tramper died after ignoring DoC pleas

The death of a French Canadian tourist while attempting to cross the mountainous Copland Pass in south Westland was inevitable, a coroner's court in Greymouth has been told.

Sorem Kvist, 40, died of a fractured skull and broken neck from a fall on or about April 28.

Mr Kvist's father said in a letter to the New Zealand High Commissioner in Canada, that given his son's experience in the outdoors he believed another person had been involved in his death.

"For 20 years he has criss-crossed all over Quebec by bike and trailer," the father said.

"He has pitched his tent in places man has forgotten. He crossed trails and mountains. In brief, he has a knowledge of nature few men can know."

However, other climbers and Department of Conservation staff said Mr Kvist was inexperienced and ill-equipped for New Zealand mountains.

Regional coroner Richard McElea agreed.

"Sadly, Mr Kvist has underestimated the conditions in the South Island mountains, where he died," Mr McElrea said.

The coroner said DoC's concern for, and interaction with, Mr Kvist had been outstanding: "The department could not have done more."

Mr Kvist's body was found on May 4.

A fellow climber, Maurice Moreton, said he met him at the Welcome Flat Hut on April 25 and talked him into spending two nights in the hut with eight others when bad weather set in.

Mr Kvist spoke little English, appeared to have "cabin fever" and wanted to get going. He did not have an ice axe, gas cooker, communications equipment or an emergency locator beacon.

Mr Moreton thought he had talked Mr Kvist out of carrying on when he wrote in the intention book at the hut that he was heading out and would reach the car park on April 27.

However, when he failed to arrive, DoC staff made radio contact with Mr Kvist at the Douglas Flat Hut, further up the mountain, and seconded a Fox Glacier school teacher - who spoke fluent French - who tried to talk him down off the mountain.

They finally settled for an assurance that he would not leave the hut without first informing DOC of his intentions.

"He seemed to resent being told what to do," the teacher said.

Julian Tovey, a DoC officer and member the search and rescue squad, was part of an extensive air search that later discovered Mr Kvist's body in a stream.

Mr Tovey said he had a general feeling of foreboding about the tourist. Staff had gone to great lengths to dissuade him from making the climb but did not have the authority to force people off the mountains.

"He has underestimated the nature of the terrain and the power of the weather. It (the death) was inevitable."

- NZPA