A first-time mountaineer had a deadly fall on Mt Ruapehu, after her group pressed on in dangerous conditions that nobody questioned, a coroner has found.
By Katie Todd of RNZ
Wednesday Davis, 26, had joined her partner and two others for what they expected to be a beginner-friendly climb to Whangaehu Hut in June 2024.
In a report released Monday, coroner Matthew Bates said Davis should never have been on the icy slope above the hut where she fell and slid about 250 metres.
Bates said the group missed a Mountain Safety Council warning about hard, icy conditions, where she was always going to encounter difficulty.
Instead of speaking up about their doubts, the group naturally followed the person they perceived as the most experienced mountaineer," he said. Once she fell, Davis had no chance to regain control.
"There was no safe runout area below. She simply should not have been there."
'Very limited' planning
The group was part of a larger party on the mountain, staying at Tūkino Alpine Sports Club for the weekend to celebrate a friend's birthday.
The day before the fatal fall, Davis, her partner and four others walked to a waterfall called Margaret's Leap, where he instructed her on how to use crampons.
Bates said Davis' partner had also planned to teach her how to use an ice axe to stop a slide, but the conditions were too hard and icy to practice sliding and stopping repeatedly.
He was a rock climber of 10 years, who had completed an advanced snow school alpine-climbing course and later described his mountaineering experience as "above novice level, tending towards intermediate".
Bates said Davis was an experienced and confident hiker but had not used technical mountaineering equipment before.
The pair set off for Whangaehu Hut with another couple - one other beginner mountaineer and one other novice alpinist - the following morning.
They believed it would be an easy climb, which would have been the case in favourable conditions, the coroner said.
One person checked the forecast and slope gradient, but the group failed to see a Mountain Safety Council warning about hard ice.
Bates said the group did very limited overall planning for their climb and did not discuss what to do if they got stuck or lost, or if the weather deteriorated.
"Despite the prevailing conditions over the weekend, the group did not anticipate traversing high-risk hard ice surface crust, which carried a significant slip or sliding hazard," he said.
"This should have been anticipated in relation to the latter, higher part of the group's climb to Whangaehu Hut."
A 'pivotal moment'
Bates said the terrain was manageable until a "pivotal moment" on a south-facing slope above the hut, where the group encountered hard ice.
Davis's partner described it as a drastic change in conditions.
"Not only was the group was caught out by unexpected surface conditions from the ridge down to Whangaehu Hut, but they were also unprepared for them," Bates said.
Davis' partner considered pulling back but ultimately decided to scout ahead and try to find a suitable route down to the hut.
"The climb should have been halted, and the group should have come together for discussion and to form a consensus regarding whether to continue," the coroner said.
"The alternative was for the group to turn back, which I consider would have been the prudent choice."
Coroner Bates found the group was affected by an "expert halo", where they were more likely to defer to the judgement of the group member they perceived as the leader, rather than speak up about their concerns.
He said Davis' partner automatically assumed that role, because he was the most experienced mountaineer and had been to the hut before.
"Group communication during the climb was very limited," he said. "Others in the group were variously getting tired, feeling colder and noting more difficult conditions ahead, as the climb progressed.
"None of these feelings or observations were communicated to the wider group."
Davis slipped or tripped, as she tried to cross an ice face descending towards the hut.
As she began sliding, the group called out for her to use her ice axe, but she could not stop, the coroner said.
"Tragically, she sustained critical injuries along the way," he said.
Emergency services reached Davis just over an hour after the fall and flew her to Tūkino Ski Field, where she died.
Bates found that it would have been "very unlikely" for even an experienced mountaineer to stop their slide, because of the impenetrable ice.
Mt Ruapehu 'must not be underestimated'
Bates recommended that all aspiring alpine mountaineers complete a basic, several-day snowcraft course, as an absolute minimum to learn essential safety skills, such as the level 1 basic snowcraft course offered by the New Zealand Alpine Club.
"Had Ms Davis completed a snowcraft course, her chances of survival would have been increased, due to her possessing a greater ability to recognise and mitigate against risks, and to respond to them, if they were realised, such as experiencing a fall or slide," he said.
"However, the skills required to safely traverse an ice slope, such as the one where Ms Davis fell, appear to be captured in the more advanced NZAC Level 2 snowcraft course. This re-enforces my view that Ms Davis should not have been in a position where she would need to attempt negotiating a relatively steep ice slope."
He said Mt Ruapehu was a serious alpine environment that should not be underestimated.
Mountaineers should do thorough research to make sure a route was suitable for the skills and experience of the group, and to constantly assess conditions, he said.
"Most importantly, an acceptable alternative should be found, if people are not able to undertake their original plan safely."
He said people should also establish "clear group dynamics", with open communication and an agreed leadership style.
Family welcomes answers
Almost two years on, Davis' father, Paul Davis, and stepmother Sarah Hall said the coroner's report, but also came with a sense of frustration.
"I don't think she had a clue how risky it would be," Hall said. "She was an 'I'll give it a shot' type of kid.
"Hindsight's a beautiful thing. It just floors me that, even knowing that all that ice was there, they continued."
Paul Davis said the group had ample opportunity to turn back.
"Nothing was discussed on their trip," he said. "Everyone had their doubts, but didn't voice their doubts."
The couple said they hoped other aspiring adventurers would learn from what happened and always do their homework.
"Know your group, know how to use your equipment," Paul Davis said. "The mountain's there tomorrow and it'll be there next week."
The pair said they had endured a tough, lonely and immensely bureaucratic time since Wednesday Davis's death, with "no instruction book" to navigate the system or understand what had happened.
Despite that, they aimed to celebrate Wednesday Davis' rich and vibrant life, rather than just commemorate her death.
Dearly loved and deeply missed
In a statement, Davis' partner, Guy Pryor, said losing her had left a void he could not describe.
Davis was one of the brightest, most passionate people he had ever known, with a smile that could light up any room, he said.
"She loved the world deeply. She loved the ocean and the natural environment she cared about, and just wanted to make the world a better place.
"She approached life with extraordinary courage and curiosity, and she was loved by everyone who met her.
"Not a day passes where I don't think of her or miss her deeply. My thoughts, too, remain with her family and friends, whose grief I cannot begin to measure."
Pryor said he supported the coroner's recommendations, including the call for proper snowcraft training, and the broader message that New Zealand's alpine environments demanded the utmost care and respect.
"My sincere hope is that these recommendations avoid similar tragedies in the future," he said.
A statement from Davis' mother was also included in the coroner's report.
"We feel her loss every minute of every day, but know that she died living her best life," she said. "Although her death might have been avoided if the group collectively had exercised greater caution, or possessed greater skill and experience, this was an accident, unintentional and a part of life."
Coroner Bates acknowledged the impact on Davis's partner, stating he no doubt carried a "heavy personal burden as a result of the tragedy".
With hindsight, others had placed a level of trust in him and the call to navigate down to Whangaehu Hut was wrong.
Bates said Davis was dearly loved and clearly deeply missed.
New information for mountaineers
The Mountain Safety Council had since created a dedicated Whangaehu Hut page on its Plan My Walk website, with safety information, including a warning that it was only suitable for expert, well-equipped hikers with alpine experience
Chief executive Mike Daisley said more New Zealanders and international visitors were looking to explore the country's alpine environments.
"These findings are coming out just ahead of another winter," he said. "If this winter is anything like last winter, there's going to be really dynamic, complicated weather systems hitting the central North Island across New Zealand, but in particular Raupehu."
While Ruapehu was accessible, people should be aware it was also a genuine alpine environment.
"If you're thinking about exploring, really understand your own skills," he said. "If you feel you're still at that beginner level, definitely should be getting some professional guidance and professional formal training, before heading into those environments.
"Equally, there are places around North Ruapehu where you can explore the snow and get into some environments, which are much more controlled and less dynamic.
"Spend a bit of time with tools like Plan My Walk, but particularly spend time at the Department of Conservation visitor centre, asking questions around places you could explore, if you don't have that experience."
He said the release of the findings would be an emotional time for Davis's family and friends, and the Mountain Safety Council extended its thoughts to them.
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