Tributes to ice climber who died in 2,000ft fall
THE family of a climber who died in a 2,000ft fall in the Canadian Rockies paid tribute to him last night.
Biologist Neil Mackenzie was found dead along with two female climbing companions.
They were ice-climbing on 8,927ft high Mount Joffre, south-west of the city of Calgary, on Sunday when the accident happened.
According to police, they had been roped together and were near the top of its central couloir – a steep gully – when they fell.
Mr Mackenzie, originally from Inverness, hit rocks during his plunge and died instantly, his family said.
The 31-year-old was educated at Fettes College in Edinburgh, had a degree in virology from Glasgow University and had completed a PhD at Edinburgh University’s Roslin Institute.
He had been working in Vancouver since June 2013 after taking up a post-doctorate position in a laboratory at the University of British Columbia.
Professor Colin Farquharson, who worked with him at the Roslin Institute, said: ‘Neil was an excellent, promising young scientist.
‘His enthusiasm for his research - and indeed life in general – was infectious.’
Yesterday the British Columbia Coroners Service confirmed that the other two victims were Elena Cernicka, 35, of North Vancouver, and German- born Stephanie Grothe, 30.
They were part of a group of five who travelled to Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, in British Columbia, on Saturday.
The three went climbing the next day and arranged to meet up with the others later. When they failed to appear, the other two went looking for them. After spotting one body, they alerted the authorities and a rescue team began a search at first light on Monday.
The other two bodies were found later that morning. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
Mr Mackenzie leaves a sister, Caroline, as well as his parents, Angus, 63, and, Margaret, 62, who run a herb nursery and tearoom. His family, of Flichity, near Inverness, said in a statement: ‘All three were experienced climbers and using the correct equipment. It is clear that he hit rock on the way down, so his death was instant.
‘We are devastated but will hold on to the fact that Neil was doing what he loved in the mountains.’
Mr Mackenzie began climbing around ten years ago and often teamed up with Miss Grothe. The pair were both members of the University of British Columbia Varsity Outdoor Club.
It issued a statement describing Mr Mackenzie as ‘passionate about the mountains’ and ‘always looking for the next adventure’.
It added: ‘To us, he was the epitome of the proverbial Scottish “hard man”.’
The coroner and Canadian police are investigating the deaths.
‘Promising young scientist’