Play

00:00

/

00:00

Full screen
Video quality

Low 0 MB

High 0 MB

HD 0 MB

Captions
Volume
Volume
Hero image for The Glacier Climbers

The Glacier Climbers

Short Film (Full Length) – 1964

"The story of a four-day journey from Westland to Canterbury, across the Southern Alps."
Narration from the four climbers accompanies spectacular alpine imagery in this classic NFU film. In crevasse country they rope up and climb to "half way across the frozen roof of New Zealand" and share a can of tinned pineapple as reward. At Malte Brun Hut they meet Sir Edmund Hillary, Murray Ellis and Harry Ayres, and they descend together down the Tasman Glacier. Ayres reflects on the Alps as training ground for famous polar and Everest expeditions.

The pleasant custom of sharing a tin of pineapple on Graham Saddle is observed by most of the climbers who make the crossing.
– The film's narrator

If you liked this, you might also like...

Collection
Collection image for The Sir Edmund Hillary Collection

The Sir Edmund Hillary Collection

This collection celebrates the onscreen legacy of Sir...

Collection
Collection image for Snow

Snow

The Snow collection features titles about New Zealand's...

Thumbnail image for Off the Beaten Track

Off the Beaten Track

A Southern Alps traverse that also features Sir Ed and...

Thumbnail image for Journeys in National Parks: Westland / Aoraki

Journeys in National Parks: Westland / Aoraki

Another Southern Alps journey also featuring mountaineer...

Thumbnail image for Young Mountains

Young Mountains

A documentary on the Southern Alps

Thumbnail image for Snows of Aorangi

Snows of Aorangi

Another classic NFU doco, shot by Brian Brake featuring...

Thumbnail image for Hillary Returns

Hillary Returns

Sir Ed discusses the Southern Alps as preparation for...

Thumbnail image for Moa's Ark : Building the Ark

Moa's Ark : Building the Ark

Featuring the Southern Alps and the Coast to Coast race

Thumbnail image for Weekly Review No. 267 - Winter Sports at Mount Cook

Weekly Review No. 267 - Winter Sports at Mount Cook

Snow-sport shenanigans at Mount Cook and The Hermitage

Thumbnail image for The Leading Edge

The Leading Edge

An action film featuring 80s Southern Alps mountain sports

Thumbnail image for Journey for Three

Journey for Three

Features a dramatic glacier rescue

Thumbnail image for Fair Go - Episode 30 (2007)

Fair Go - Episode 30 (2007)

This spoof sees Sir Ed endorsing an unusual crampon

Thumbnail image for Mount Cook

Mount Cook

1954 Southern Alps short

Thumbnail image for Norwester - Wind of Contrasts

Norwester - Wind of Contrasts

The story of the nor’west wind the crosses the Alps

Thumbnail image for Mount Cook - Footsteps to the Sky

Mount Cook - Footsteps to the Sky

Film commemorating 100 years since first ascent of Mt Cook

Thumbnail image for Across the Main Divide

Across the Main Divide

Another main divide crossing

Thumbnail image for Hillary: A View from the Top - The Early Years

Hillary: A View from the Top - The Early Years

More Hillary and Harry Ayres

Thumbnail image for Born in New Zealand

Born in New Zealand

Another birth-themed film made by Frank Chilton

Thumbnail image for Aspiring

Aspiring

A 1972 NFU doco on an ascent of Aspiring

Thumbnail image for To Help a Crippled Child

To Help a Crippled Child

Also directed by Frank Chilton

Thumbnail image for Asthma and Your Child

Asthma and Your Child

More from director Frank Chilton

Thumbnail image for The Treatment of Cerebral Palsy in New Zealand

The Treatment of Cerebral Palsy in New Zealand

Also directed by Frank Chilton

Thumbnail image for Hillary - First Episode

Hillary - First Episode

Biographical drama on Edmund Hillary

Thumbnail image for Before Everest

Before Everest

Documentary revisiting Hillary's 1951 Everest expedition

Thumbnail image for Challenge - Never Go Near Him

Challenge - Never Go Near Him

Documentary about a mountaineering expedition

Thumbnail image for What Now? - 40th Birthday Celebration

What Now? - 40th Birthday Celebration

A special What Now? episode