In the winter of 1971, Sir Graeme Dingle and Jill Tremain set out on one of the most ambitious wilderness journeys ever attempted in New Zealand, the first full winter traverse of the Southern Alps.
Over 100 days, the pair travelled the length of Kā Tiritiri o te Moana, moving from the Milford region in the deep south through to Nelson Lakes in the north. They walked, climbed and skied their way through some of the harshest alpine terrain in the country, battling relentless storms, deep snow, freezing temperatures and complete isolation.
At the time, very few people believed a full winter traverse of the Southern Alps was even possible.
The journey pushed both climbers to their physical and mental limits. Much of the traverse was completed in poor weather, with days spent stormbound, negotiating avalanche terrain and bitterly cold conditions. Supplies were limited. Progress was often painfully slow. Yet they kept moving north, one valley, glacier and ridgeline at a time. At one point, Graeme fell 350 metres in a massive avalanche. At the bottom, he stood up, mostly undressed, recovered his pack and other gear, and, minus his ice axe, climbed on.
But what made the expedition so significant was not just the scale of the achievement, it was the spirit behind it.
During the traverse, Jill Tremain shared a thought with Graeme that would stay with him for the rest of his life:
“Life is a cup to be filled, not a measure to be drained.”
At the time, Graeme later admitted he did not fully understand what she meant. But over the weeks that followed, her challenge to live a life focused not only on personal achievement, but on doing good for others, began to reshape the way he saw the world.
Three years later, Jill died tragically in an avalanche while climbing near Nanda Devi in the Himalayas.
Her influence, however, would live on.
Graeme has often credited those words spoken during the Southern Alps traverse as one of the defining inspirations behind the work that eventually became the Graeme Dingle Foundation, a commitment to helping young people across Aotearoa realise potential.
The traverse itself became legendary in New Zealand mountaineering history. It set a new benchmark for endurance and alpine exploration, inspiring generations of adventurers to follow.
It is a reminder that the most meaningful journeys are not always about conquering something. Sometimes they are about discovering purpose, resilience, connection and the responsibility we have to help others along the way.