Severe alpine weather forced a trio of climbers to call off a re-enactment of the first ascent of Mt Aspiring yesterday.
The climbers had hoped to climb the 3033m peak yesterday, on the 100th anniversary of the first climb by Major Bernard Head, of England, and his New Zealand guides, Alec Graham and Jack Clarke.
But because the weather forecast was bad, they had chosen today as a back-up day.
Climber Whitney Thurlow said, when contacted in Wanaka, the climbers decided on Sunday night to postpone their expedition, but cancelled it completely after a meeting just before noon yesterday.
Today's forecast high winds would be very unsuitable for climbing, Mr Thurlow said.
"There's going to be 110km an hour winds at 200m.
"And we would have been 2000m above that.
"I think it's going to look nice [from Wanaka] but it won't be on the mountain," he said.
Mr Thurlow and Gavin Lang, of Aspiring Guides, had planned to accompany the well-regarded Peruvian climber, Aritza Monasterio, on his first attempt at a New Zealand peak.
They wanted to take the little-used route used by Major Head on November 23, 1909, and use clothing and equipment typical of the early 1900s.
