Ski patroller Troy Forsyth has been named as the man killed in an avalanche while skiing the east face of Mount Dixon in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park on Sunday.
NZ Mountain Safety Council and the NZ Mountain Guides Association confirmed his name in a joint statement today.
Forsyth had been skiing down the face with three other experienced ski mountaineers when the avalanche struck near the summit.
He worked as an avalanche snow safety officer and ski patroller at The Remarkables ski area in Queenstown, and was an assistant ski guide with the guides association. He was also an Mountain Safety Council -endorsed avalanche educator.
Mountain Guides Association spokesperson Will Rowntree – a friend of Forsyth’s and a fellow Remarkables ski patroller – said Forsyth was skiing with experienced friends and was not working in a professional capacity at the time.
“Troy was a deeply talented and respected practitioner within his field. He will be dearly missed by his family, friends and colleagues,” Rowntree said.
Mountain Safety Council chief executive Mike Daisley said Forsyth’s death was a sobering reminder of the risks of skiing and mountaineering in New Zealand’s high alpine environment.
“The alpine community is a close-knit one, and Troy’s passing will be deeply felt by all those who knew him and shared his passion for the mountains,” Daisley said.
“Avalanches are one of the hazards that can have devastating consequences, even for those with extensive experience and specialist knowledge. Experience, training and careful decision-making are fundamental to managing alpine risk, but they cannot eliminate it entirely.”
Mount Dixon, also known as Dixon Peak, sits in the Southern Alps within Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park at a height of 3004m.
Its steep faces and glaciated terrain make it a demanding peak for climbers and ski mountaineers, and its conditions and snow stability can change quickly.
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