Story: Mountaineering

Modern equipment

Modern equipment

From the 1980s mountaineering in New Zealand became increasingly technical with the development of new clothing and equipment. This climber on the ‘ramp’ on the north-west ridge of Mt Aspiring has a synthetic wind-stop fleece jacket, plastic boots with 12-point crampons, and a protective helmet. He is carrying two short-shafted ice tools (in place of the old heavy ice axes), light but strong synthetic ropes, karabiners, and a snow-stake anchor – a New Zealand development. With front-pointed crampons and ice tools, climbers no longer have to cut steps.

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Private collection
Photograph by Andrew Caisley

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How to cite this page:

John Wilson, 'Mountaineering - New equipment and new people', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/10510/modern-equipment (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by John Wilson, published 24 Sep 2007, updated 1 Feb 2017