The New Zealand mountaineering community is one full of rich history and deep passion. Mountaineering is interwoven into the fabric of our country’s history. From Māori using passes to move through the mountain ranges, to more modern-day heroics such as Sir Edmund Hillary, the mountains of Aotearoa are part of our identity.
MSC analysis of avalanche incident data between 1999-2018 highlighted that of the 27 avalanche fatalities in NZ during this period, 70% of them involved mountaineers. These findings naturally raised some questions - why are mountaineers in New Zealand so overly represented in avalanche fatalities?
There could be many explanations for this, and it’s unlikely there is just one reason. Factors could include our dynamic climate and ever-changing weather, or our unique terrain. MSC decided to embark on a body of work to understand more about the element we know the least about, and the one we may have the most ability to influence, the human factors. Specifically, the attitudes, behaviours and ultimately the mountaineering community culture towards avalanche safety.
We encourage readers to carefully think about the findings presented throughout Above and Beyond, and as you do, to reflect on your own experiences and avalanche-related practices, both past and in the future.
Our hope is that these findings will provide the platform for a healthy conversation and reflection, paving the way for improved mountaineering specific avalanche safety in NZ, and perhaps other parts of the world.
Read more about the project here and explore the findings here: www.mountainsafety.org.nz/exp...
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