Gathering snow for cooking purposes at Pioneer Hut - height of 8000 feet. Fox Glacier.ca.1930s

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DescriptionGathering snow for cooking purposes at Pioneer Hut, Fox Glacier...Height of 8000 feet.
Pioneer hut was wiped out by a rockfall from above in the 1960s.one person was killed by a rock slab. We did not have the means to lift the slab off him. Another man was pinned by a leg. The doctor on our rescue team was going to amputate the leg. Fortunately we managed to lift the rock sufficiently to ease him out.he was stretchered to ski plane on the neve. He spent some time in hospital. He returned to Fox some time later to thank the locals involved.

Auckland Weekly NewsPhotographerAuckland Weekly NewsDate of Photo1930`sMap^[1]

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Location (city or town)Fox GlacierLandmark (Place)Pioneer HutEventGathering snow for cooking purposes at Pioneer Hut

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Date Created14th September 2019CommentsJohn Sweeney Pioneer hut was wiped out by a rockfall from above in the 1960s.one person was killed by a rock slab. We did not have the means to lift the slab off him. Another man was pinned by a leg. The doctor on our rescue team was going to amputate the leg. Fortunately we managed to lift the rock sufficiently to ease him out.

Brian McIntyre John Sweeney did he get down and survive John

John Sweeney Brian McIntyre yes he was stretchered to ski plane on the neve. He spent some time in hospital. He returned to Fox some time later to thank the locals involved.
Mike Odgers You’ve gotta love those old hob nail boots! Amazing that they could wear them to climb back then
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Heather Laura Mills Detlaff https://thespinoff.co.nz/author/cheryl-riley/

Heather Newby have to be young and fit to do this sort of thing..must be amazing being up there though!

Heather Cheryl Riley You should read my book 'Guts and Determination"where Mick Sullivan tells the story of the very first Pioneer Hut, how and why it happened. My husband, Mike Riley was a big part of the building of Pioneer Hut number ? in the late 1960's.

John Sweeney Cheryl Riley there is a picture of Mike hanging off the side of the hut rebuild in the NZAC archives Cheryl.

Graeme Pierson John Sweeney were you the same guy that was a guide with Peter McCormack when I was stationed at Whataroa ie 1969-1973. If regards,

John Sweeney 1 was with Peter in the years 68 - - 71..i re member you Graeme. It was about the time of the Jennifer Beard case.

Heather Newby John Sweeney i remember the jennifer baird case.. Just awful
Ann-Maree Duncan
Peter Pascoe

Wjohn Sweney
Trevor Chinn was there?

John Sweeney
Wjohn Sweney I do not know Trevor Chinn. He may have been with the WCAC group from Greymoth.

Rata Charlton
Wow

Colin Monteath
Nancy Cawley was evacuated by ski plane

John Sweeney
Colin Monteath From memory she may have been one of the people that walked out via Chancellor to alert us at Fox of the accident. No hut radio in those days.

Colin Monteath
John Sweeney my recall was that she was injured...but could be quite wrong there. She was definitely in the hut that night

John Sweeney
Colin Monteath I could be quite wrong too Colin, after all, 60 years can play tricks with the mind. I was trying to remember the pilots name but can only get the name John. I was the last one out of Pioneer. When we took off the afternoon snow was soft. The ski tracks went right to edge of a crevasse. Lift off, great skill or good luck.

John Kerr
John Sweeney John Stokes or maybe John Evans Pilot.

John Sweeney
John Kerr yes it was one of those. I think it may have been John Stokes. Tall, wore glasses, serious but with a dry sense of humour, would be my description.

John Kerr
John Sweeney Yep, think you are right.

Graeme Todd
Added some colour for you
May be an image of standing and outdoors

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Gathering snow for cooking purposes at Pioneer Hut - height of 8000 feet. Fox Glacier.ca.1930s

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