New Zealand incidents

[wayno]

So it's agreed. Thousands of visitors likely and ONLY 30 deaths in Mt.Aspiring NP over 10 years.
Truth is they only have accurate figures on the negative outcomes. They wouldn't know how many actually visit.

We're just not doing our share when it comes to population mitigation.

a death is still a death and tragic no matter what the statistics, an experienced person i know died in the alps. most trampers i know in nz have had some close shaves.

[wayno]

http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/ ... sing-man-0

Police and Land Search and Rescue (LandSAR) from the central North Island continued the search for a missing 53-year-old man on Mount Tongariro this morning.

Four men set out at 8am yesterday to hike over the Tongariro Alpine Crossing from Ketetahi to Mangatepopo.

The group stayed together until the bush edge below Ketetahi Hut, where three of the men continued without the missing man.

Police were notified the man was missing by his wife when he did not return to his vehicle around 5pm.

The search continued until after midnight in blizzard conditions without success and reconvened at 7am this morning with four teams and helicopter assistance.

Conditions have improved today.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/ ... iro-search

Police and Land Search and Rescue (LandSAR) from the central North Island have located a body in the search for a missing 53-year-old man on Mount Tongariro.

A karakia will be held on Mangatepopo Road at 3pm today and a rahui will be put in place on the Tongariro Crossing for three days.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

[wayno]

Hunters rescued after being hit by avalanche

https://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times ... -avalanche

[wildwanderer]

http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/search-continues-missing-man-0

Police and Land Search and Rescue (LandSAR) from the central North Island continued the search for a missing 53-year-old man on Mount Tongariro this morning.

Four men set out at 8am yesterday to hike over the Tongariro Alpine Crossing from Ketetahi to Mangatepopo.

The group stayed together until the bush edge below Ketetahi Hut, where three of the men continued without the missing man.

Police were notified the man was missing by his wife when he did not return to his vehicle around 5pm.

The search continued until after midnight in blizzard conditions without success and reconvened at 7am this morning with four teams and helicopter assistance.

Conditions have improved today.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/ ... iro-search

Police and Land Search and Rescue (LandSAR) from the central North Island have located a body in the search for a missing 53-year-old man on Mount Tongariro.

A karakia will be held on Mangatepopo Road at 3pm today and a rahui will be put in place on the Tongariro Crossing for three days.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

I often wonder in these situations of the culpability of the rest of the walking party.. do they just continue on when their 'mate' is struggling behind. And then scratch their heads when he doesn't turn up at the cars..

[nwphil]

very sad....it is a "thing" these days and not just in NZ.
what happen to the "we go in together and come out together"? I could go on about accountability and many other things but this is not the place nor the purpose of this thread.

[wayno]

very sad....it is a "thing" these days and not just in NZ.
what happen to the "we go in together and come out together"? I could go on about accountability and many other tgings bu this is not the place nor the purpose of this thread.

the crossing is marketted to tourists, they were indians, didnt have a clue the weather would be like that there, werent dressed for it, had no clue about group etiquette, didnt check the forecast, the guided walkers werent going that day the weather was so bad and the shuttles wouldnt have run for unguided walkers if the season had started...
people regularly go up in street clothes...
shuttles have banned people from going without an extra layer, stopping people who just went in a shirt and shorts and nothing else... but the clothing they take is often not good and wouldnt fare well in bad weather...

[wayno]

avalanche at Mt Cook National park kills two

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/108236 ... ar-mt-cook

[wayno]

too manypeople get killed by avalanches, i've been close to an avalanche, its no laughing matter, you're up against a force that you are powerless to do anything about , the sound alone was terrifying, it was like thunder. keep your wits about you, dont go where you arent experienced to recognise the dangers. even experienced people can still miscalculate the risks

[wayno]

Tramper 'lucky to be alive' after nighttime fall down 20m waterfall

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/arti ... d=12157499

[wayno]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/108979 ... on-mt-cook

[wildwanderer]

too manypeople get killed by avalanches, i've been close to an avalanche, its no laughing matter, you're up against a force that you are powerless to do anything about , the sound alone was terrifying, it was like thunder. keep your wits about you, dont go where you arent experienced to recognise the dangers. even experienced people can still miscalculate the risks

Just returned from NZ. One night I was camped in avalanche terrain at 1000m and while I was confident I was below a rocky spur with no snow directly above, the crack and roar of multiple nearby avalanches was enough to make me rapidly pull stumps and decend to below the tree line in fading light. Fastest pack up, move location and re setup camp I've ever done.

Throughout the night I could hear avalanches falling at high elevations futher up the valley. Scary as $#&$!!

[Aardvark]

Throughout the night I could hear avalanches falling at high elevations futher up the valley. Scary as $#&$!!

It's a memorable experience alright.
On multi day trips over glaciers i would dart around looking for avalanches and icefall when i heard them, only to often see the tail end of a deluge on the other side of the glacier. The roar always made it sound like it may be coming your way but then all i ever saw was a dribble of snow and ice, far away and in the scale of the whole landscape it was like a glass of water being tipped out. Quite alarming at night. I'm not sure i could ever totally ignore it.