Four mountains in one day |
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A team of four local mountaineers and a support person set off on Saturday, January 29 to climb the North Island’s four highest peaks in a 24 hour period. David Peake, Lindsay Peake,
Jake O’Brien and Mike Cosgrove
started the ascent of Taranaki at
10pm Saturday night and two of The team enjoyed beautiful weather for the attempt, and everyone finished in good health. Mr Cosgrove, the most experienced climber with successful expeditions to the Nepalese Alps and South American Andes under his belt, says fitness, good nutrition and plenty of fluid intake were vital to the attempt. He and Lindsay Peake, who also has a lot of experience climbing in New Zealand, reached the goal, but Mr Cosgrove says it was a team effort that made it possible. At least three team members
made every climb and Mr Cosgrove’s
wife Jackie, who was
support person and driver, also A three quarter moon guided the climbers up Taranaki (2518 metres). They reached the summit at 1.05am then made a quick trip to Turoa via Wanganui. The first of the three central peaks conquered was 2797m high Ruapehu (at 11am) then the team headed down the Whakapapa side to be picked up and driven to Mangatepopo Valley. From the one base the team made the top of Ngarahoe (2291m) by 6pm then the summit of Tongariro (1967m) by 8pm. It was a quick downhill back to the valley to complete the quest within the 24 hours. Mr Cosgrove says the total distance
he and Mr Peake covered
was in the region of 63 kilometres
and the total vertical climb and
descent was 4500m. |
By Dean Taylor