‘Classic terrain trap’ claims climber
Climbers need to better appreciate terrain risks after a young Christchurch father was killed by an avalanche at The Remarkables a year ago, a coroner says.
Expert alpinist Jamie VintonBoot, 30, was swept off his feet and fell about 500 metres below the Queens Drive traverse on the west face of the range at 8.45am on August 12 last year.
A 4m-wide slab avalanche dislodged about two tonnes of snow as Vinton-Boot and climbing mate Steven Fortune traversed without ropes.
Coroner David Crerar commissioned a report by climbing guide Geoffrey Wayatt, who referred to the traverse as a ‘‘classic terrain trap’’.
The climbers were not reckless but a more prudent approach may have led to them reconsidering.
Fortune told the coroner the pair discussed potential avalanche hazards but they ‘‘switched off’’ on the skifield access route and were complacent.
A back country advisory for the day before was ‘‘low to moderate’’ avalanche danger but on August 12 the advisory was upgraded to ‘‘moderate to considerable’’. The climbers were unaware of the updated advice.
Wayatt suggested roping in – belaying – could have been appropriate but it was reasonable to do without ropes in the prevailing snow conditions.
‘‘[In Wayatt’s opinion] they appeared unaware of, or they ignored, the possibility of the significant avalanche danger. They did not fully consider the new snowfall, steep access terrain and avalanche implications,’’ Crerar said.