1 Nov 2018

Jo Morgan lucky to survive Mt Hicks avalanche

From Morning Report, 6:42 am on 1 November 2018

Philanthropist and adventurer Jo Morgan says she was lucky to survive the avalanche that killed her two guides on Mount Hicks in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. Until the tragedy on Wednesday Ms Morgan was on track to become the first New Zealand grandmother to climb all peaks over 3000m in the country. The two guides who died were Wolfgang Maier and Martin Hess. Jo Morgan was also buried in the avalanche but managed to dig her way out and raise the alarm. She says there was a lot of shovelling of snow and futile wriggling for a while. But she didn't panic, every movement was calculated. Department of Conservation head Lou Sanson was at Aoraki Mount Cook. He spent Wednesday morning keeping Mrs Morgan company before she was flown to meet her family in Christchurch. He says she was "shattered" but lucky and very strong.