Hikers On Mt. Cook Rescued!

A quick update today on those hikers caught in the storm on Mt. Cook that I mentioned yesterday. Jo Adams, who first alerted me to this story, posted another article this morning, with the word that all six of the Australians on the mountain were successfully evacuated from the mountain.

The two women and four men are said to be in good condition, despite their ordeal, and spirits are said to be high. They are still being examined by medical staff, but it seems they weathered the storm just fine. The entire group was pulled off the Metelille Glacier by helicopter earlier today when the search and rescue teams finally got a break in the weather.

Finally, some good news out of the mountains. With the recent happenings on K2, it's nice to see a successful rescue and a happy ending. With any luck, these six will be enjoying a fine meal and a couple of brews in the lodge tonight.

Thanks for the update Jo!

Six People Missing On Mt. Cook

There is a bit of breaking news today about a group of six hikers who are missing on Mt. Cook in New Zealand. They set out to traverse a section of the mountain from Barron Saddle to Mueller Hut and were expected to return sometime today, but a blizzard has struck the area, and the activation of an emergency beacon has search and rescue teams concerned for safety of the hikers.

Earlier today, a helicopter set off in an attempt to reach the location of the emergency beacon, but it was forced to turn back due to the storms. To make matters worse, their are other climbers on the mountain as well, and rescuers were unsure at this time, who had sent out the signal for help.

At this time, SAR teams are hoping for a break in the weather so they can mount a proper rescue attempt, but with heavy snow falling over the past day and a half, conditions on the Mt. Cook have deteriorated substantially. Rescuers now fear avalanches and high winds at high altitude will hamper their efforts moving forward.

Lets keep our fingers crossed for a happy ending to this one. We've had enough problems with losing people in the mountains lately. A big thanks to Jo Adams for sending this my way. She's written a more thorough story for RacingAndSports.com.

Ski Mountaineering on Mount Cook

If skiing, and exploring a remote mountain is your cup of tea, then I've got an article for you. GreatOutdoors.com has posted an excellent article on Ski Mountaineering Mount Cook in New Zealand, and from the sounds of it, this would be an amazing adventure. The weather sounds...um...unique to say the least, and any thoughts of using a tent are quickly dashed, as the author claims a hut is the only way to go. But the scenery is epic, the skiiing wonderful, and the reward is worth the trip. So, if you're interested in exploring the Southern Alps, by skies no less, than this should give you an idea of what to expect.