The 31-year-old man who fell to his death on a South Island mountain face has been named as Gergo Verhas, a Hungarian who lived in Auckland.
Mr Verhas was climbing on Mt Rolleston in Arthur's Pass National Park with two companions when he fell about 7.30am on Monday.
Despite an immediate response from the Canterbury Westpac Rescue Helicopter, he was unable to be saved.
Mr Verhas was an experienced climber and a member of the New Zealand Alpine Club.
Chief executive Sam Newton said Mr Verhas and two other climbers had ascended the central direct route on the Otira Face of Mt Rolleston on Sunday.
After spending the night near the summit, the party was descending via the standard descent route, early on Monday.
‘‘During that descent, Gergo slipped on loose scree, slid across a small patch of snow and came to a halt in a loose rocky area, 50m below,'' Mr Newton said.
‘‘His passing is a tragic loss to his friends and family. Our thoughts are with them.''
Mr Verhas was ‘‘an active and popular'' member of the Auckland branch of the club and had completed instruction courses in rock climbing and snowcraft.
‘‘Gergo had enjoyed numerous climbs of significant mountains in New Zealand.‘‘In the past six months, Gergo had summited Mt Taranaki, all 12 peaks of Mt Ruapehu, Mt Earnslaw, Mt Temple and Mt Sefton - an impressive list.''
Before coming to New Zealand, Mr Verhas had completed the Haute Route Pyreneenne, ‘‘an incredible 800km trek in Europe''.
‘‘It is saddening that someone who was enjoying the mountains so much has had such a tragic accident. Gergo will be fondly remembered by the Auckland section of NZAC and the wider climbing community.''
- The New Zealand Herald
