Keith Gladstone Russell
Date of birth / Date established
Circa 1928
Date of death / Date closed
26 Jul 1953
Place of death / Place closed
Person/Corporate type
Individual
Biography
Keith Galdstone Russell, a teacher at Central School, New Plymouth, died in the 'Nurses' Accident' on Mount Taranaki on 26-27 July 1953. Russell was leading a party of 31, including 18 nurses, on an ascent of Mount Taranaki. The party was divided into six ropes. During the descent one of the seven climbers on Russell's rope slipped near Hongi's Bluff and one by one each was pulled off the path and over the bluff. Six of the climbers, including Russell, were killed. At the time of the accident Russell was the Taranaki Alpine Club's chief-guide and one of the club's most experienced climbers. He had climbed extensively in the Southern Alps and the Arrowsmith Range. While in Europe in the early 1950s Russell had also climbed the Matterhorn.
![Russell, Keith Galdstone [loose notes from tramping albums]; 1946-1951; ARC2012-145](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/80092/c71975c755324ba25e216caa45c6f61768f44b72.jpg)
