Member of the New Zealand Alpine Club:

"When Earle Riddiford died in Wellington on the 16th of June 1989, the New Zealand Alpine Club and the New Zealand mountaineering community lost one of its famous pioneering mountaineers. Earle was a man of high ambitions and capacity who achieved a lot in his life.

His drive and enthusiasm led to the first all New Zealand Expedition to the Himalaya in 1951 and the success his team achieved with the climb of Mukat Parbat enabled two New Zealanders to be invited to join the 1951 British Reconnaissance Expedition.

Earle was from a Waiarapa farming family but when his father died at an early age and the farm was sold, he moved to Christchurch and began working as a law clerk. Early experience with competent climbers in the University Tramping Club started Earle's love of the mountains. He learnt quickly while at the same time demonstrating to his companions his determination and natural climbing ability.

After a period in the I Section of the Pacific Army during the Second World War, Earle returned to law but his first interest was to climbing at every opportunity. He read widely and planned exciting trips with new routes and unclimbed peaks via remote valleys in South Westland."

(from the New Zealand Alpine Journla, 1989) AWMM