RALPH DAVID MILLER

Interviewer: Avis McDonald Abstracter: Jean Hawkes

TRACK 1

00:00 (there is no introduction, interviewer i.d., or recording agreement details)

01:14 RALPH DAVID MILLER born 23 April 1935 in St Kilda, DUNEDIN

02:02 Father: DAVID THOMAS MILLER born 21 July 1900 – Started work early in The Depression – Rolling Mills at BURNSIDE, DUNEDIN – To INVERCARGILL Branch of IRON & STEEL COMPANY – Died October 1983 Mother: CASCENA MABEL BENFELL born 9 November 1909 died March/April 1990 (Note: Birth corrected to 11 October 1908)

Siblings: ELAINE MARGARET MILLER born 30 March 1940 – JANICE KATHLEEN MILLER born 2 January 1943 – Both married brothers with surname THOMAS

04:34 [EDUCATION]: St CLARE PRIMARY SCHOOL (Dunedin) – SOUTH SCHOOL (Invercargill) – TWEEDSMUIR INTERMEDIATE – SOUTHLAND BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL

05:06 P.E. (Physical Education) favourite subject – Enjoyed Geography – History – English – To lesser degree Science and much lesser degree Mathematics

05:50 [EMPLOYMENT]: 35 years FORESTRY SERVICE – Became Chief Draftsman SOUTHLAND CONSERVANCY – Explained TUATAPERE – TAPANUI – DUNEDIN – MOUNT COOK – Mentioned

06:44 Long held interest in sports involving running, jumping, catching balls Ability to run – Much involvement Professional sport – Mentioned

08:54 [WIFE]: NOLA MAVIS HODGKINSON born 16 September 1937 – Married 10 September 1960 Occupation – Shorthand typist – New Zealand Champion for her year PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE – Mentioned Seconded to FOREST SERVICE

10:05 [OWN CHILDREN]: PAUL DAVID MILLER born 21 January 1966 – BARBARA JANE MILLER born 19 July 1968

10:56 Start of involvement with CLIMBING about 1950 while at High School...

11:35 … Lot of reading – Decision made 'Wanderer' as a child – Described CONCORD (Dunedin) – Mentioned

12:33 Move to central DUNEDIN – Father's promotion St CLARE – GOLF COURSE – Mentioned

13:31 Sisters never involved – Younger than self

13:50 Inspired by JOCK BRAITHWAITE (Geography teacher at Boys' High School) – Described BILL GORDON – Mentioned....

15:00 End of Track 1

TRACK 2

00:00 … Self only one present for meeting – Possible explanation why School had a number of mountaineering books and alpine journals

00:47 First official climb – REMARKABLES (JARDINE'S HOMESTEAD) – Described BILL GORDON – PAT SHEEHAN – GEORGE PEARCE – Mentioned LAKE ALTA – EAST RIDGE – Mentioned

03:49 Descent from main peak – Approach to two other peaks – Explained Ignorance of rope techniques – Mentioned

04:57 Relieved after first climb – Physical challenge – Mental challenge

05:47 Realised in later years that 'Body is a conveyance for the mind'

06:01 Reaction of parents to mountain climbing – Explained

06:57 Friends mostly puzzled (about mountaineering) – Possible conflict with other sports BILL GORDON – Mentioned

07:27 Climbing in soft snow – Described Lot of climbing done at night – Taking advantage of frozen snow Problems when snow 'runs off'

08:14 Costs involved – Rationale of Tramping Clubs was to save money – Explained 08:46 Some friends bought cars – Model A Ford – Group shared expenses Mechanically good – Tyres a lot of trouble Trip to and from HOMER TUNNEL had 13 punctures Road condition – Described

10:29 160 miles from Invercargill to Homer Tunnel – About 4 hours travel (without punctures)

10:55 Foot traffic access to HOMER TUNNEL in 1952-1953

11:15 Permission granted by Invercargill Office of MINISTRY of WORKS to use tunnel Foreman's reaction to Permission Slip – Described Ride on gravel truck – Own first time through the tunnel – 1954 MOUNT SHEERDOWN – QUEEN'S VISIT – Mentioned

12:40 Most climbs at weekends Planning for climbs – Outlined

13:14 Fitness – Continued involvement with sports Climbers perverse sense of lack of fitness AUSTIN BROOKES from WINTON trained at nights – Actions described Played with All Blacks – Explained

14:50 Reasons for climbing given

15:00 End of Track 2



TRACK 3

00:00 Many virgin peaks and ridges explored – Adventures results of bad planning Good organising should go smoothly 01:16 Always challenges on the horizon – Everyone needs a learning period

02:05 Absolute trust in companions – Self very fortunate

02:58 BILL GORDON – RON (competent musterer) – First meeting LUMSDEN – Mentioned

04:35 Anchoring of belaying ropes – Today's mountaineering techniques much safer Ropes can be means of collective disaster – Explained

05:37 Read many overseas publications – Experimenting – Improved skills and knowledge

06:13 Types of ropes used – Described BILL – Italian Hemp rope – Mentioned

08:59 Equipment revolution has occurred – Described REMARKABLES – Japara parka (waxed cotton fabric) – 'Clunkers' (nailed boots) – Mentioned

10:17 Many peaks climbed more than once by self – Reasons given

11:10 GEORGE MOIR – LLOYD WARBURTON – COLIN LEE – Dr LINDSAY STEWART – JIM McFARLANE Inspiration to self and others – Self climbed peaks unknown to these people GEORGE skiied at CORONET PEAK aged 80 plus Dr STAN MULVANY – TIBET – Mentioned

13:07 Own children exposed to mountaineering – Little interest shown

14:18 Part of NOLA's (wife's) test for suitability – MOUNT HAMILTON (near MOSSBURN) – Taken to HOMER Tests for other climbers' girlfriends....

15:00 End of Track 3

TRACK 4

00:00 … NOLA'S reaction to 'test run' – Described Relationship survived.

00:35 'EARLY PEAKS' (book) – Mentioned Never climbed with female and self as a 'party' In later years BEV NOBLE involved – Attributes outlined

01:51 Challenges now much less physical

02:28 Encounters with avalanches LINDA GLACIER, MOUNT COOK – Mentioned

03:12 Reasons for climbing at night – Descent during daytime Long rest period involved

05:05 In early years mostly summer activity – Standards improved – Climbing all year Ice climbing – Explained

06:17 First to climb TALBOT EAST RIDGE – Described BILL BLEE – Mentioned

08:30 Ropes carried – Self led for most of climb

08:46 Locally little competition among small groups – Number in group climbs Trampers (from club) other activities

09:50 First new route in 1954 Climbs in earlier days recorded in Alpine Journal – Canterbury Mountaineering Journal and others Situation different now – Explained

10:56 Planning and ascent of TALBOT EAST RIDGE – Described Most trouble occurs on descent – Similar situation with skiing Club hut at HOMER – Mentioned

13:15 Self had done dozens of other ascents Reasons to climb GEORGE MALLORY of MOUNT EVEREST – Mentioned

14:12 Still in non-technical when at EAST RIDGE – Explained Equipment – Described... 15:00 End of Track 4

TRACK 5

00:00 … Footwear (choice) – Explained EAST RIDGE of MOUNT TALBOT – Mentioned

01:41 Minimal extra equipment for overnight climbs – Described Bivouac stops – Mentioned

02:47 Hypothermia – Caving trip at DOUBTFUL SOUND – Described KEN HAMILTON – HAROLD JACOBS – AUSTIN BROOKES – BILL BLACK – JACK MORRELL – Mentioned

05:36 JACK affected by hypothermia – Described Terrain – Described

07:13 JACK didn't climb much with self BEV NOBLE – AUSTIN BROOKES – Mentioned Recovery from hypothermia – Described

08:03 Rapid weather change on MOUNT COOK – Described MOUNT TASMAN – Mentioned Overseas climbers often have false security

09:12 Climb on EAST RIDGE – NOTCH ROUTE – CROSS CUT PEAK – Self aged about 17 years BILL GORDON – Mentioned Invitation to climb – Attributes of companions 11:10 Own first ascent – MOUNT SHEERDOWN

11:25 High strike rate for gaining new routes – about 90% Favourable conditions needed in early days – Group well known for doing well Recent times go in less perfect conditions Feelings of older climbers – Explained

12:56 Person suggested to parents that self had fallen into bad company – Explained Teenage attitudes

13:40 Thoughts on unsuccessful climbs and other actions Possible climbs shared with group members – Secret projects DUNEDIN – CANTERBURY – Mentioned

15:00 End of Track 5

TRACK 6

00:00 Mountaineering Headquarters in CHRISTCHURCH MOUNT COOK – Mentioned Secret projects in MOUNT COOK area

01:05 Planning for climbs – Explained

02:28 Snow and ice climbs MOUNT COOK area – Some rock routes Rock and snow in MILFORD area BALL HUT – TASMAN GLACIER – HERMITAGE – Mentioned

04:21 MOUNT CHRISTINA – Epic – Historical record Three climbs by self – Described

05:27 Self and BILL climbed SOUTH WEST FACE of MOUNT CHRISTINA – Described DEL RYAN (teacher) – Mentioned

07:24 Memories of the climb and the chasm – BILL'S ability to sleep when/where ever DEL RYAN – BILL GORDON – Mentioned

08:07 Characteristics of BILL GORDON – Described

09:06 JOCK BRAITHWAITE – Mentioned

09:11 Climb of NORTH RIDGE – Explained Studied information in ALPINE JOURNALS for inspiration

09:55 Christmas time get together at HOMER NOLA climbed MOUNT BARRIER GRAHAM McCALLUM from WELLINGTON – Climbing partner Self eventually went to ANTARCTICA with GRAHAM

10:50 Routes on MOUNT CHRISTINA are complex – Described

11:44 Need for knowledge of surroundings HOMER TUNNEL area – Mentioned

12:25 Thrill on climbs new to self – Many peaks climbed more than once

13:12 NORTH RIDGE – No special moments

13:30 More climbers died during WW1 than in WW2 Early climbers able to penetrate up the valleys of MILFORD despite lack of road access

14:35 In present times possible to drive to the foot of many climbs

14:38 Vandalism – Not in hay-day – Much in present times

14:59 Problems with Keas...

TRACK 7

00:00 Behaviour of KEAS – Described

00:55 Self still climbs – Climbers owe debt to their families – Explained Skiing – Mentioned

02:50 BEACONS – Self has full range of safety gear for skiing and climbing Activation of beacon for skiing – Explained Locator beacons for mountains – Can be picked up by satellite

04:21 Notification of climbing intentions – Explained Delays usually from weather conditions

06:07 Self involved with SEARCH and RESCUE of other people – Not for self

06:27 BILL BLACK – No longer flying – Involved in SEARCH and RESCUE Helicopter pilots – Mentioned Self often flew with BILL in course of own work for photography or samples

07:34 Trip into EGLINTON VALLEY with BILL – Described Beech tree epidemic NOLA – Mentioned

09:06 Thanks for interview – Club questions answered

10:00 End of Track 7