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An attempt to by four men to scale Mount Tamahunga enough times to be the equivalent of climbing Mount Cook has raised $24,000 for mental health.
Hamish Barton, Hamish Blampied, Tom Searle and David Hassan walked the Tamahunga track 10 times across 14 hours, starting at 5.30am and finishing at 8pm.
At a total of 4370 metres climbed, it was well in excess of the equivalent of Mt Cook’s 3724 metres.
Hamish Barton says it proved to be a mental challenge as much as a physical one.
“We dedicated each of the 10 summits to a friend, family member or someone we knew in the community who had passed due to their own mental health challenges,” he says.
Hamish says the team was blown away to have raised well in excess of their $10,000 target.
“I think the key learning for me was the power of community. Often when people feel down or are having mental health challenges, they tend to disconnect. If you notice someone withdrawing, or not being themselves, don’t be afraid to ask them if they are okay.”
