A record achievement

On 31 March 1981, Ian McAlpine began an epic climb that would demolish all previous attempts - a record that still stands.

The young mountaineer was tackling the Four Peaks challenge: climbing to the top of Mount Taranaki, the Kaitake and Pouakai Ranges before running from Oakura to New Plymouth and climbing Paritutu Rock. The time to beat was 10 hours 57 minutes.

Ian easily knocked off the first three peaks in plenty of time, but the run to New Plymouth took its toll.

"I was hungry, getting dehydrated and very tired," he later told the Daily News.

 "The pain started to set in. I kept telling myself it wasn't far to go - that it was all worth it... Man oh man it seemed a hell of a long way down to that rock... With every bone in my body aching I mustered all my energy and slowly made my way up Paritutu."

It took the exhausted man about 15 minutes to complete the last ascent… he'd done the challenge in 10 hours 10 minutes. "I was jubilant about my time," he told the Daily News. "The weather was really too hot for this sort of caper. I must've looked a mess covered in mud and my clothes wet with sweat as I came into New Plymouth!"

Ian had shaved 47 minutes off the record, a time set by his brother Alistar.

Adventures a must

Today Ian McAlpine (Mac in mountaineering circles) is a small wirey man with weather-beaten tanned skin, an equally small moustache, sparkly eyes and a ready grin. He looks supremely fit, probably because he makes a living from climbing Mount Taranaki. This is a guy who is part man, part mountain.

Earlier this year he completed his 1500th ascent, to his knowledge the only person to have scaled the mountain that often. "No one else is mad enough!"

The mountain or "hill" as he calls it has been Ian's playground for over 40 years.

He grew up at the foot of the mountain, on the family farm near Oakura, his family owned McAlpine Sawmills. The eight children were encouraged to get into the outdoors and explore.

"As a child I was caught up adventuring. We used to make huts in the bush and stay for two hours and get scared by the possums. I spent my first full night out in a tent with my brother when I was seven. We used to play adventuring."

The freedom to adventure and learn from mistakes is something missing in today's society Ian reckons.

"I think it's important that children should have that freedom and it's being taken away from them. Most of us achieve from taking up challenges and succeeding in our goals. I talk to people and say if you don't allow children to have these challenges then we are going to have a very lazy and low self esteemed people."

 
The boogie man

But while the young McAlpine's were allowed to roam the farm and local bush, they were not allowed in the Egmont National Park that bordered their parent's farm.

"The boogie man lived there. I remember vividly looking across there and seeing the holes in the pongas and that was where the boogie man lived. But we got adventurous and went to meet him and found this great place. And we came out alive!"

"I think it's important that people go on adventures. As kids we didn't get into mischief much, but we had fun, we went on adventures and learnt a lot by doing so."

The McAlpine boys were involved in Scouts, a fantastic experience, says Ian.

"Scouts learn a lot about the outdoor environment, skills about things like tramping and kayaking and leadership. Stuff you take into every day life with you."

The first of many

It was through Scouts that Ian made his first summit climb.

As an 11-year-old he went to the top of Mount Taranaki with a group of boys in 1961.

"I don't remember a lot... my pack was heavy... the steps were big... It must have been a very positive achievement."

Over 40 years on Ian says that was his most important ascent.

"If I hadn't made that first climb, I may not have followed the path I did," he says.

He eventually outgrew the Scouts, but met up with a group of likeminded people at Spotswood College.  The teenager joined the Alpine Club and discovered mountaineering was something he could do well.  "You keep doing the things that you enjoy and get fun from. It just grew from there. Me and my brother used to spend every weekend up the mountain."

A very large playground

The mountain has always been a playground to Ian. He has always had that urge to reach the summit - by different routes, in different conditions, and with different people.

As the years go by, the mountaineer's reasons for being on the mountain have changed.

"The challenges have been varied, from fitness to skill-based climbs in snow," he says.

"Today it's because it's my business - I own MacAlpine Guides, often when I worked at the Outdoor Pursuits Centre I found myself going up there a lot by myself to get away - to not have to talk to anybody. As a teenager and in my 20s when I was a boy in a hurry you went there to conquer and to beat it and you felt that you had power over the mountain. I was out to run all over it. And there was the comradeship with the people I met up there. It's always been an escape for me."

These days he also enjoys the buzz of seeing others achieve their goal of reaching the top of Mount Taranaki. He began MacAlpine  (note the play on words) Guides back in 1992.

"I would go up the mountain on the weekends to a very harsh but beautiful place and then I started taking people with me because I wanted to show them how beautiful it is. Now I can do that for a living."

People have many reasons for climbing the mountain, some purely to reach the top, or to achieve something - others are a little different.

"One girl said to me I want to crack a stock whip on the top of the mountain, people take footballs and all sorts of reasons for climbing the mountain."

The relationship with the mountain changes just like the reasons for climbing it.

Like the back of his hand

Ian is modest about his knowledge of the mountain - there are some places he doesn't know, he points out.

Between guiding he works for the Department of Conservation clearing and cutting tracks on the mountain.

"I get to some really interesting areas where I haven't been a lot before. Most people just tramp through these places and don't really see them. I'm there for a bit longer and can appreciate them." 

SUMMIT SUNRISE: The sun peaks over the horizon. To the left is Mt Ruapehu, Ngaruahoe and Tongariro. 

He's working on tracks around the western side of the mountain in the Bob's Bluff /Mangahumi  area and says that it's his current favourite place on Mount  Taranaki.

"Mostly because it's so different. It's a place I haven't spent much time in."

The Pouakai's are another favourite because of the views... the summit in the winter time with the formations... there are several places close to his heart.

The future on Mount Taranaki

Tourism in Taranaki is booming, as the numbers on the mountain most weekends can attest: one weekend in mid February over 600 people tramped to the summit.

Ian sees the influx of tourism as inevitable, and something that could potentially be very good for the region.

"6,000-8,000 people a year go to the top. The people just keep coming. I think people and things have to change, but you do need to be prepared for it. As long as Taranaki as a whole can learn from the mistakes of others. We've got something to offer here in Taranaki, what we need to work out is how to spread the load so it doesn't have too much of an impact."

With the influx of visitors on the mountain - many who are unaware of the dangers - safety becomes a concern - but it's not something Ian is willing to talk about. There's only so much banging your head against a brick wall that a guy can take.

"The number of people I meet on the mountain today who you can't have a conversation with - who don't know English - and don't know about the dangers of walking on the mountain..."

Ian works with the Search and Rescue team and has helped take more than a few people off the mountain over the years.

 "But by far more people go up the mountain and have fun, self esteem building than are hurt."

The future for Ian McAlpine

For now Ian will continue what he's always done - climb the mountain while it's still fun.

"My job is very physical but very rewarding and I really enjoy it so I'll keep doing it while I still can.

I take it day-by-day. I just feel privileged that I can take people up the mountain and I'll do that until physically I won't be able to or when I find that there's other things I want to do. It's tough to run your own business and do other stuff as well. Many times over the years I've said I'm going to retire and people have said 'oh yeah'. I think in the end I'll end up becoming more into admin.

"Still most days when I stand on the summit I know it's a special place. People have to take that challenge, to extend the energy to see it. Even if there're 100 people on it, it's still a special place."

It's a place that many Taranaki people have not been he points out.  A lot of people don't want to go there until it's too late - they're physically too old or they've left the province.

A MAN AND A MOUNTAIN: Mt Taranaki keeps watch while Ian takes a break.

"Last year my slogan was Are you a gunna? Gunna do this gunna do that. If you want to climb the mountain you've got to do it. Especially with Taranaki people, if they've got an inkling to go up the mountain they should do it now, because time will slip away."