New Zealand History

Christopher Harris from Australia aged 12 years and one month

Mt Cook

Christopher and Richard boarded a porter ski plane on Sunday afternoon (1/12/02) to fly up to Plateau Hut (2210m) on the Grand Plateau that sits below Mt Cook.

After walking roped to the hut they settled in and prepared equipment for their attempt on New Zealand's highest peak Mt Cook (3754m). Alarm clocks were set for 4.00AM and the party of four (Adam Darragh, Marty Beare, Christopher and Richard Harris) settled into bed around 9.00PM.

When morning came it took an hour and a half before they had snow- shoes fastened to their mountaineering boots and headed of up the Linda Glacier.

The Linda Glacier was the chosen route and to quote the NZ Alpine guide book re this route "While this is the easiest and most climbed route on Aorak /Mount Cook, it is also one of the most dangerous, being menaced by ice cliffs. The lower glacier is often heavily crevassed and there is considerable danger from ice avalanches off the right slopes."

Richard Harris is quoted as saying " It's not the climb it's self that concerns me but the fear of avalanches!" As they made there way up the Glacier there was the old rumble or two from the ice cliffs above and after crossing countless crevasses by midday they were just below the Bowie Ridge. Whilst resting here they watched several large avalanches come down not far from their route up. Marty and Adam went higher to find a suitable location for a snow cave and after about an hours work up on the Bowie Ridge Marty had dug an enormous cave measuring approximately 2 metres wide by some 7 to 8 metres long out of a snow covered crevasse. By around two o'clock they had had lunch and were all in their bivvy bags taking an afternoon nap. After dinner a phone call was made on the Satellite phone to let Christopher's mum Cheryl know that all was well. By 7.30PM every one was asleep again in preparation for the summit day, which would require them to rise at 2.45AM to ensure they were on the mornings crusty snow by 4.30AM. It was actually about 4.45AM by the time they headed off for the day and Christopher is quoted as saying more than once that " The worst thing about mountaineering is getting up early in the morning!".

After a hour or so of plodding a way up some steep snow slopes they had to perform a delicate traverse on the front points of their crampons and used an ice axe and ice hammer, one in each hand to keep their balance.

After this exposed bit of climbing Christopher said "This is what I love best climbing on my crampons and ice axes it's just the best!"

This section led them to the base of a rocky ridge that required them to rock climb up about 150 m with crampons still attached to their boots as every now and then a short section of snow had to be negotiated. After reaching the top of this, which is known as the summit rocks a short rest was had and Christopher was refuelled with the assistance of his favourite brand of chocolate. It was now very hot considering the altitude and Christopher was only wearing a polar fleece and his father Richard had only a lightweight Mountain Designs Power Dry T-shirt on. From here it was all snow and reasonably straight forward, Adam and Christopher lead off first whilst Marty and Richard stayed back for a bit to film the last section. Christopher arrived on the summit at 10.40AM (3/12/02) and Marty and Richard at 11.00AM after shooting some more video and taking some photographs. Both Christopher and Richard were ecstatic with what was now mountaineering history with Christopher being the youngest person in the world to ever summit Mt Cook. Christopher said, "This is awesome the best day of my life!"

After moving off the summit peak to a safer spot Christopher spoke to his mother on the Satellite phone before commencing the descent.

After countless abseils most of a 50m length the Linda Glacier was again under their feet and in the baking hot sun they commenced a slow walk back to the snow cave in thigh deep snow, or at least for every one but Christopher who's 45Kg only saw him sink to his knees. By four o'clock the four were inside the cave sipping a hot cup of tea. It was decided that they would spend another night in the cave and not risk the walk out to the hut in soft snow and a high avalanche risk. Which Richard certainly reaffirmed was the right decision after watching and filming numerous large avalanches that spat down boulders the size of dinning tables and enough snow to fill a tennis court. The alarm rang out loud at 3.00AM and after a lazy breakfast they packed up the gear and set off at around 5.00AM for Plateau Hut. With cooler conditions they managed to only sink to their ankles in the snow and a reasonably quick trip was had back too the hut and by 8.00Am Adam and Marty had cooked up an enormous breakfast of champions including bacon and fried eggs with lot's of extras. After making contact with Mt Cook airport on the radio a helicopter was organised and they all flew out to awaiting camera crew of TV3 news back at Unwin Hut.

Christopher and Richard would like to thank their sponsors:
Australian Geographic
Mountain Designs
Adventure Consultants
Dick Smith Foods
Poly-hex

The proper noun referring to New Zealand is spelled Waitangi.

On February 6, 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi made New Zealand a part of the British Empire and gave the indigenous Maoris status as British subjects. Waitangi Day is a public holiday held each year on February 6.