Queenstown's Alpine Cliff Rescue team found no trace of missing Wellington climber Simon Bell during another search on Mt Earnslaw.
Eight team members searched for the climber as part of training on the mountain late last month.
He has not been seen since mid-JanuaryTeam co-leader Chris Prudden said the search was prompted by his chance meeting with Mr Bell's parents in Glenorchy earlier in March after they had flown over the mountain to ''say their last goodbyes''.
''It's pretty hard when you've got someone lost on a mountainside and you don't get the body back,'' Mr Prudden said.
He decided to hold scheduled training on the peak so that part of the day could be set aside to search for the body.
The 33-year-old Wellington engineer was last seen on January 14 at Esquilant Bivvy Hut, and was reported missing on February 2 by his former partner.
On a mission to be the first to climb the 100 ''great peaks'' of New Zealand, Mr Bell took leave from his job for the summer and relocated to Wanaka. The official search was abandoned on February 11 and his disappearance referred to the coroner.
Mr Prudden said the team carried out a detailed search of the West Peak route previously thought to have been taken by Mr Bell. Although lower than the mountain's East Peak, it was technically challenging and more prone to unstable snow and ice conditions.
Mr Prudden thought it likely Mr Bell had attempted to traverse the mountain along the ridge from west to east.
''If he has come adrift on the southern slopes, which are completely glaciated, there are endless possibilities about what may have happened to him, and why there's no evidence.''
When Mr Bell's parents asked him what could be learnt from their son's death, he told them solo climbing on technical routes greatly increased risk.
Although well-equipped, fit, experienced and carrying a satellite tracking device and personal locator beacon, he would not have been able to ''push the button'' if badly injured or if he had suffered a fatal accident.
''Had he had a climbing partner, there was a good chance that person would have been able to help him or activate an emergency.''
At 2830m, Mt Earnslaw is the second-highest peak in the lower South Island, after Mt Aspiring.
