Missing Livermore Climber Presumed Dead: New Zealand Police

LIVERMORE, CA — Carlos “Kique” Romero, a Livermore climber missing for a week on an expedition atop New Zealand’s highest mountain, is presumed dead, according to New Zealand authorities.

Police said Friday they believe that the climbers fell and did not survive, according to an update from Aoraki Area Commander Inspector Vicki Walker. Local search and rescue teams say they found a jacket and ice axe they believe belong to the three climbers, which included Romero, 56-year-old Kurt Blair of Colorado, and a Canadian man whose family has asked he not be named, Walker said. Crews also found footprints near where climbers began to climb the slopes.

“After reviewing the number of days the climbers have been missing, no communication, the items we have retrieved, and our reconnaissance today, we do not believe the men have survived,” Walker wrote Friday. “We believe they have taken a fall. This is certainly not the news we wanted to share today.”

Authorities have notified families, suspended their search, and formally advised the Coroner that they believe the men took a fatal fall, she said.

Romero was a 50-year-old Livermore resident and former Lawrence Livermore National Lab employee who was a tour guide with Mt. Shasta-based SWS Mountain Guides. He was reported missing Dec. 2, on Mt. Cook, also known as Aoraki, after he and his climbing team did not show up for a scheduled flight. Searches over the next few days were hampered by difficult weather, according to police.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the devastating reality that our dear friend and colleague, Carlos 'Kique' Romero, will not be returning home,” SWS Mountain Guides said Friday on social media. “This loss has profoundly impacted all of us at SWS Mountain Guides, and our deepest sympathies are with Kique’s family during this incredibly difficult time…As we begin the difficult process of moving forward, we are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support from the mountain community. Kique’s spirit, talent, and kindness will forever inspire us all.”

SWS Mountain Guides also shared a news release containing more information about the search, and a testament to Romero, whom they said made “immeasurable” contributions to the mountain guide world.

Romero was born in Venezuela, and grew up climbing 4,000-meter peaks, and scaled summits all over the Andes, according to his biography from SWS Mountain Guides. After studying in Switzerland and UC Berkeley, he worked for 15 years as a program manager at LLNL, while also leading 15 climbing expeditions to South America. He was the technical director of SWS and held numerous climbing certifications.

Aoraki, part of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, is 12,218 feet high, and full of glaciers, crevasses, avalanche risk, and extreme weather. Since the early 20th century, more than 240 deaths have been recorded on the mountain and its surrounding park, according to several news reports.