On Sunday 19th June 1966 four young men from Christchurch set off to climb the Otira Face of Mt Rolleston, an alpine route considered technically challenging and arduous for the era, and one the climbers approached with caution. When they…
Jetboil Flash Review
I have owned a Jetboil bivvy stove since 2005, used it primarily on expedition climbs at altitude where weight is an important factor, and mainly for melting snow and boiling water for drinks and de-hi/ instant noodle meals. I recently…
Review of Freedom Climbers by Bernadette McDonald
Freedom Climbers By Bernadette McDonald After the commercialized palaver and generated news to come from the 2012 Everest season, it’s inspiring to read a different story in Freedom Climbers by Bernadette McDonald. The book tells of the post WW2 achievements…
Review of ‘A Day to Die For ‘ by Graham Ratcliff
Since the ill-fated Everest guiding season of 1996, there have been numerous books written on the storm that killed eight people on the mountain on May 11, including Kiwi guides Rob Hall and Andy Harris. So my first reaction to…
Article on me and my North Canterbury family in Essence Magazine.
Fifty-three-year-old mountaineer Pat Deavoll, who grew up on a farm in North Canterbury, has been climbing for more than three decades in the Southern Alps, the Canadian Rockies and Alaska, and the Greater Ranges of Asia. In spite of severe…
South Ridge
South Ridge By Pat Deavoll In 2011 there was a big national debate in New Zealand on whether to rename the South Ridge of Mt Cook the Hillary Ridge in remembrance of our iconic Sir Ed who’d died the year…