My climb in 1999 was varied and exciting. I took my son Michael, my receptionist Gail and two of her friends. One needed to turn back at Drinking Rock below which the track is well marked. The rest managed the summit at a reasonable pace. On our descent Michael and I were "scree skiing" when we came across Paul O'Dowd assisting an injured climber. It was decided (with my help) that a helicopter would be the safest way to take her off, but the designated chopper wasn't capable of finding us (despite a clear view). Paul was frustrated but then obtained the help of Alan Beck who was able to fly directly to the spot, hover with one skid on the slope and Mt Egmont Alpine Club members loaded her onto the chopper strapped into the stretcher they had climbed up with.

While awaiting the arrival of the rescue helicopter some mist rolled in and I was able to capture a "Spectre of the Brocken" (1st observed in 1780 on the Brocken, the highest peak of Germany's Harz Mountains).

The photo I took of Alan's chopper over Paul (above) made the front page of Monday's Taranaki Daily News and was used by DOC in its Egmont National Park 2000-2010 Management Plan. Note Maud and Henry Peaks of the Pouakai Range above Paul's head.

The previous month I had climbed the mountain in the Mt Egmont Alpine Club with my wife Shirley ("never again") and her siblings Sharon (now Duthie) and Murray Calder (similar sentiment to Shirley).

Earlier tramping on the mountain included a visit to the crash site of a Ventura Bomber that was lost during training in WWII.