Czech tramper familiar with death in mountains
The Czech tramper who survived a torturous month alone in remote Fiordland has previously mourned friends who died in the mountains.
Pavlina Pizova desperately tried to save her partner, Ondrej Petr, after the pair fell from the isolated Routeburn Track.
She was unable to and spent about a month alone in a Department of Conservation (DOC) hut near Lake Mackenzie before she was rescued.
Friends of Pizova’s have told Czech media about her abilities as a tramper, and her familiarity with the risks of climbing mountains. An unnamed friend told Czech news website Blesk.cz that friends of theirs had died in the mountains before.
‘‘We like the mountains, even though we know how dangerous they can be,’’ she said.
‘‘In our circle of friends were a few people who [climbed] mountains and paid with their lives or were seriously injured, and they were all experienced mountaineers.’’
She said Pizova was a capable climber who had hiked 70 kilometres alone before without issue.
She was practically skilled, and could repair bikes and other objects, the friend said.
The couple came to New Zealand earlier in the year on working visas. They picked apples at an orchard before finding jobs elsewhere. Friends became concerned about the pair’s whereabouts when they noticed Pizova hadn’t posted online since July 14.
Another friend told Blesk.cz that Pizova regularly posted about her travels, and it was unusual not to hear from her for such a long period. A group chat on Facebook, where they discussed Pizova’s apparent disappearance, caused friends to raise the alarm.
Ida Jenkova´, the mayor of Police nad Metujı´ where the pair live, told news outlet Denik.cz that the news was upsetting. ‘‘We just want her [Pizova] to experience life with this settled,’’ she said.
Pizova is recovering at the Glenorchy home of consul for the Czech Republic Vladka Kennett.
She told NZ Herald that Pizova wanted to donate money to Land SAR and the Department of Conservation as a thank you.
‘‘At the moment she can’t do much more – she’s just trying to recuperate and get everything back to normal, which is not easy, but she’s doing well,’’ Kennett told NZ Herald.
At an emotional press conference on Friday, Pizova described her desperate month of solitude.
‘‘At the hut, considering my physical health, the deep snow conditions, knowing there were avalanche paths ahead of me, I knew it was best to stay in the safe place.’’
‘‘At the hut I saw numerous avalanches coming down,’’ she said. ‘‘As you can imagine the last month was very harrowing for me and my partner’s families.’’
Pizova said she was well informed about New Zealand conditions and how quickly the weather could change.
‘‘I’m aware we made a few mistakes – not leaving our intentions with somebody, not carrying a personal locator beacon and underestimating the winter conditions.’’
She thanked New Zealand Land Search and Rescue, local police and DOC for bringing her to safety. ‘‘They are heroes for me.’’ Search and rescue recovered Petr’s body on Friday.