'Deeply talented': Mt Dixon avalanche victim named

The Mt Dixon avalanche victim has been described as a highly experienced mountaineer and “deeply talented” in his field. 

Troy Forsyth was today named as the man who died in an avalanche on the east face of Mt Dixon in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park on Sunday. 

He was skiing down the peak when he was buried by snow. 

The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council (MSC) said Forsyth was an avalanche snow safety officer and ski patroller at The Remarkables Ski Area in Queenstown. 

Troy Forsyth died in an avalanche on the east face of Mt Dixon in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park on Sunday. Photo / Supplied 

He was also an assistant ski guide with the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association (NZMGA). 

He was with three other experienced ski mountaineers when the avalanche occurred near the summit of Mt Dixon while the party was skiing down the east face. 

NZMGA spokesman, friend and fellow Remarkables ski patroller Will Rowntree said Forsyth was skiing with experienced friends and was not working in a professional capacity on this occasion. 

“Troy was a deeply talented and respected practitioner within his field. He will be dearly missed by his family, friends and colleagues.” 

MSC chief executive Mike Daisley says the tragedy is a sobering reminder of the inherent risks associated with skiing and mountaineering in New Zealand’s high alpine environment. 

“Troy was also an MSC-endorsed avalanche educator. The alpine community is a close-knit one, and Troy’s passing will be deeply felt by all those who knew him and shared his passion for the mountains. 

“Ski mountaineering takes place in a complex and constantly changing environment. 

“Avalanches are one of the hazards that can have devastating consequences, even for those with extensive experience and specialist knowledge. 

“Experience, training and careful decision-making are fundamental to managing alpine risk, but they cannot eliminate it entirely.” 

MSC and NZMGA extended their “sincere condolences” to Forsyth’s family, friends, colleagues and the wider mountain, guiding and snow safety communities. 

Police said emergency services were alerted about 10am on Sunday and a search and rescue operation was launched. 

Senior Sergeant Craig Ellison said the man was found unresponsive and died a short time later. 

Experts warned good weather and mountain conditions could mask avalanche dangers. 

Nathan Watson, operations manager at MSC, said a recent storm brought new snow. 

He said it was a reminder that “good weather conditions don’t necessarily mean no avalanche danger”. 

“Different storms come through, and they bring new snow. 

“There’s wind, there’s rain, there’s varying freezing levels and what happens is the snowpack builds up and changes over time. 

“Within the snowpack, there can be different layers of weakness.” 

Watson said even in good weather, there can be weaknesses or instabilities beneath a snowpack. 

“Then if that’s triggered in a certain way, such as with a human on it, that stability can break and release and still trigger an avalanche. 

“So the good weather at a particular time is not necessarily an indicator that there isn’t a risk within the snowpack.” 

Dixon Peak, where an avalanche has killed one person. Photo / Murray Foubister 

The death will be referred to the coroner.