L to R: (bottom row) The late HAP ASHURST, guided at Mt Cook during 1940s & 50s, also earned living as mountain photographer- Hap's wife, Junee, helped to keep guiding alive at Mt Cook during the WWII years in the 40s. Hap & Junee were great supporters of the fledgling NZMGA.
GAVIN WILLS, Lanky charismatic climber who pulled off a miracle by keeping AGL alive in an era of non-skiing Kiwis ie very hard to earn 12 month income from guiding as there was almost no ski industry in the mountains…..after AGL became too tough for company pioneers Lynn Crawford, Pete Farrell, Don Cowie et al. Ran AGL for years until Brian Carter took over. Gavin was a pilot with his own piper cub…who delighted in dropping beer bottles into snow next to a party as it flogged up a hill. Landed at Pioneer on wheels. Now one of the world’s top glider pilots, runs a gliding school at Omarara - a film-maker of considerable skill.
MIKE BROWNE: Canterbury climber who guided at Mt Cook with mates Mike Mahoney and Keith Woodford…going on to climb new routes in Cord Vilcanota, Peru and reached South Col Chomolungma. Resurrected AGL Westland in 1970s, a glacier & high guiding company he directed for 30 years. Hit by a falling ski client on the Fox, Mike was lucky to survive after being pushed into a crevasse…thus ending much of his climbing career…however, together with wife Carol, built AGL Westland into the large, profitable company it is today. Mike and Carol regularly sail their yacht in Canadian waters. For the past 15+ years Mike has undertaken a series of long horse journeys through various parts of South Island high country.
- Filename
- AGL2.jpg #2 Alpine Guides Mt Cook - Caption # 2
- Copyright
- Mike & Carol Browne
- Image Size
- 735x586 / 179.0KB
- Contained in galleries
- ROGUE'S GALLERY