Marilyn Koolstra

Alan said it wasn't too late to join the climb of Mount Aspiring.

Alan said it wasn't too late to join the climb of Mount Aspiring.

Alan took an extra pair of crampons in case his friend would change his mind and they would climb together.

Alan took an extra pair of crampons in case his friend would change his mind and they would climb together.

But Eric said no. That would have been Eric's kind of last chance to say, OK, yep, I'm jumping and going up.

But Eric said no. That would have been Eric's kind of last chance to say, OK, yep, I'm jumping and going up.

Yeah, I'm not coming. I'm not climbing. I don't want to delay you. I'm not familiar. I haven't walked in crampons. I don't want to hold the team up.

Yeah, I'm not coming. I'm not climbing. I don't want to delay you. I'm not familiar. I haven't walked in crampons. I don't want to hold the team up.

Alan slapped his friend on the shoulder and said he was glad Eric had made it back safe. They agreed to reconnect in a few days to swap stories. Then Alan dashed off to board the helicopter that would fly him up to the shoulder of Mount Aspiring.

Alan slapped his friend on the shoulder and said he was glad Eric had made it back safe. They agreed to reconnect in a few days to swap stories. Then Alan dashed off to board the helicopter that would fly him up to the shoulder of Mount Aspiring.

And that was the last time he saw Alan.

And that was the last time he saw Alan.

Marilyn's plea to not hike alone fell on deaf ears, because Eric went right back out again, alone. He spent the next several days out of cell service, with no way of knowing the tragedy that was unfolding on the icy flanks of the mountain above. A blizzard descended as Alan Beck and his climbing partner Andy made their first attempt at the summit of Mount Aspiring on March 4th.

Marilyn's plea to not hike alone fell on deaf ears, because Eric went right back out again, alone. He spent the next several days out of cell service, with no way of knowing the tragedy that was unfolding on the icy flanks of the mountain above. A blizzard descended as Alan Beck and his climbing partner Andy made their first attempt at the summit of Mount Aspiring on March 4th.

They retreated to the safety of a hut, waited a day for the storm to die down, then made a second attempt. Once again, high wind and white-out snow drove them back. At the hut on March 7th, Alan talked to another pair of climbers, Cameron and Anna. They all agreed the weather made the peak too dangerous to climb, and the wind would prevent helicopters from retrieving them.

They retreated to the safety of a hut, waited a day for the storm to die down, then made a second attempt. Once again, high wind and white-out snow drove them back. At the hut on March 7th, Alan talked to another pair of climbers, Cameron and Anna. They all agreed the weather made the peak too dangerous to climb, and the wind would prevent helicopters from retrieving them.

So the two parties decided to join together and hike across the Bonner Glacier to a place called Bevan Call, where they could descend to safety in the Matuketuki River Valley. Cameron had a radio. He used it to inform friends back in Wanaka of the plan. He said if they didn't make contact again by Saturday, those friends should alert search and rescue.

So the two parties decided to join together and hike across the Bonner Glacier to a place called Bevan Call, where they could descend to safety in the Matuketuki River Valley. Cameron had a radio. He used it to inform friends back in Wanaka of the plan. He said if they didn't make contact again by Saturday, those friends should alert search and rescue.

The four climbers then left the hut and started across the glacier. Progress came slowly. They were about halfway across the ice when the ever-changeable New Zealand weather took yet another turn. Heavy snow fell, cutting visibility, a treacherous situation when walking across an ice field riven with crevasses. They decided to stop and wait out the weather.

The four climbers then left the hut and started across the glacier. Progress came slowly. They were about halfway across the ice when the ever-changeable New Zealand weather took yet another turn. Heavy snow fell, cutting visibility, a treacherous situation when walking across an ice field riven with crevasses. They decided to stop and wait out the weather.