Queenstown, New Zealand – A 30-year-old New Zealand man died on Monday morning after being swept down a mountainside near The Remarkables ski area outside of Queenstown by an avalanche.

The victim has been identified by the New Zealand Alpine Club as Jamie Vinton-Boot, of Christchurch, New Zealand, and the slide that took his life occurred in an area just outside of the ski area on the west face of The Remarkables that is popular with climbers. Vinton-Boot was climbing with an unnamed 34-year-old companion when he was swept 500 meters down the mountainside by the wind slab avalanche. His body was recovered from the scene by members of the police and The Remarkables ski patrol.

In a statement to the press, New Zealand Alpine Club General Manager, Sam Newton described Vinton-Boot as one of New Zealand’s most talented climbers.

“Jamie Vinton-Boot is an outstanding climber of this generation and one of New Zealand’s most gifted alpinists,” Newton said. “He has completed numerous first ascents in New Zealand of an extremely high standard. These were often undertaken with his unique, self-imposed ‘the line of most resistance’ style and ethos.”

Newton added that Vinton-Boot was recently a member of the “Backyard and Beyond” project to seek out and promote home-grown exploration and adventure. As evidenced by his participation in the New Zealand Alpine Team, he was committed to developing and mentoring the next generation of climbers and adventurers in New Zealand — despite being a young man himself.

“His death is a tragic loss for the climbing community and, of course, his friends and family. Our thoughts are with his loved ones, at this sad time,” Newton concluded.