In mountaineering parlance, the ‘death zone’ refers to the altitude zone above 8000 metres, where the margin of error between life and death rests on a knife edge.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, we have our own death zone at a much more modest altitude, but equally as treacherous – the subalpine zone – that occurs between about 1200-1500 metres, depending on the latitude. This semi-vegetated zone exists in a band above the bushline, but below the permanent snowline, and is variously referred to as the transalpine, subalpine, snowgrass or alpine zone, monkey-scrub belt, leatherwood leisure park, or carpet grass alley.
A significant number of backcountry accidents, fatalities and injuries occur in this subalpine environment, and many of them are preventable.
Backcountry Accidents has formed a technical sub-group to suggest strategies…