The deaths of two climbers in accidents on consecutive days last year in the Aoraki-Mt Cook region have shown the dangers of either underestimating conditions or overestimating capabilities, Canterbury coroner Richard McElrea said.
He conducted the inquests into the deaths of Duncan Robert Rait (36), of Melbourne, while climbing the Tasman Saddle on September 13, and Robert Christopher Buckley (32), of Christchurch, near the Sefton Bivvy on September 14.
In both cases, he recommended his findings relating to the causes of the deaths be given publicity through the Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand, New Zealand Alpine Club and similar organisations.
Mr Rait, an experienced climber, had fallen to his death in the vicinity of the Tasman Saddle.
Mr Rait's death in the vicinity of the Tasman Hut highlighted the dangers of complacency in under-estimating alpine conditions, Mr McElrea said.
Had he kept his hands free with an ice axe to arrest a slide while attempting to traverse about 100m in soft snow and then ''bullet-proof ice'' - conditions of which he was unaware - then it was ''very probable'' he would have avoided injury.
''Likewise, if he had anticipated the possible need to fit crampons in the course of traversing the distance, and fitted them when required, a safe outcome would have resulted,'' Mr McElrea said.
Mr Rait had flown in by helicopter with a party of climbers and about 11am was walking towards the Tasman Hut when he slipped on ice, slid out of sight and down an ice gully.
Search and rescue found him about 2.15pm. Mr Rait was alive and calling.
He was very cold, had a visible head injury and was incomprehensible.
Shelter was provided as the weather deteriorated.
At 3pm, a decision as made to bring a stretcher down and they moved Mr Rait away from the gully.
About 5.50pm, there was enough visibility to get a helicopter in and Mr Rait was transferred to the Mt Cook Village, but was dead from high-energy impact injuries to limbs and face, with internal injuries.
Mr McElrea said no-one should feel responsible for the fall and death of Mr Rait.
The search and rescue operation was ''carried out by skilled personnel and executed to a very high standard''.
He recommended the Department of Conservation publicise the underfoot dangers of the approach to the Tasman Hut taken by Mr Rait and the climbing party.
The following day, search and rescue was again called out after Mr Buckley slipped on ice and slid over a rocky bluff, falling about 270m, when conditions exceeded expectation while climbing with three others to over-night at the Sefton Bivvy.
At one stage during the climb, Mr Buckley commented he was ''out of his comfort zone'' in conditions more extreme than he expected, but they kept climbing.
Mr McElrea said the case was a salutary lesson of the danger of exceeding experience and capabilities in an alpine environment.
The route taken was a serious undertaking in winter conditions and required mountaineering techniques and experience which the climbing party lacked.
An internal investigation by the Department of Conservation had resulted in better information being made to those considering the route.
Mr McElrea also recommended the mountain clubs and organisations publicise his findings, with an emphasis on the need for each member of a party to have the necessary skills and experience for any undertaking in alpine conditions.
It was also fortunate another member of the party, who fell and started sliding as Mr Buckley went, was grabbed by a third and stopped from also falling over the bluff.
The party was able to reach emergency services on a mobile phone, which had limited battery life, just after 5pm. However, because of deteriorating weather and darkness, a helicopter could not land.
''It is fortunate a member of the party had a cellphone that operated in the region . . . ,'' Mr McElrea said.
But it also highlighted the importance of having a reliable means of alerting emergency authorities, such as a cellphone with fresh batteries or emergency locator beacon, with back-up between members.
The survivors were flown out the following day and Mr Buckley's body recovered.
He died from high energy impacts to the head, chest, abdomen and limbs.