Climber's Remarkable Survival a Year After Near-Fatal Mishap
Survivor Shares Lessons Learned from Mt Alma Avalanche
Tom Hanks, a climber from Christchurch, miraculously survived an avalanche on June 14, 2021, on the south face of Mt Alma in the Two Thumbs Range, Canterbury. The harrowing experience has significantly influenced Tom's approach to climbing and terrain planning.
In the days leading up to their trip, Tom noted that there was a lot of wind and it was very cold. Despite the unfavorable weather conditions, Tom and his climbing partner had planned to go hiking instead of climbing in Arthur's Pass National Park. However, their plans changed, and they decided to tackle the northeast ridge of Mt Alma.
Tragically, the avalanche was triggered by a 'whumph' sound during their climb. Tom was 5 meters behind his partner when the Colorado Avalanche occurred. He managed to stabilize himself twice during the avalanche, but he was injured and noticed bleeding and a large cut on his leg afterwards. His climbing partner also survived the same avalanche.
Since the incident, Tom has been on multiple climbing trips and has already been out this season with hopes for more in the future. However, he admits to being a little nervous on each trip since the incident. Tom changes his approach to trip and terrain planning, encouraging others to complete formal avalanche-related courses, and he has done so since June last year.
Tom advises finding the latest avalanche advisory at www.avalanche.net.nz and completing a free online course to learn the basics. He also suggests checking past New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZAA) public observations if possible. Tom's avalanche incident was reported via the NZ Avalanche Advisory public observation tool.
Tom expresses regret for not being more aware of the conditions and avalanche danger before their climb on Mt Alma. He now urges climbers to step back and think about conditions rather than assuming they won't be a problem. Tom's survival serves as a stark reminder of the importance of avalanche safety and the need for climbers to be prepared and informed before embarking on any climbing expedition.
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