Please attribute to Senior Constable Barry Shepherd:
In the last week Police and LandSAR in the Central North Island rescued six people who underestimated the challenges of walking in an alpine environment.
The key message is plan your trip and be prepared.
On the evening of Thursday 11th, a 43-year-old woman and her 14-year-old daughter from Wellington were reported overdue on the Alpine Crossing. They started the hike at 10am but by 9.30pm had not arrived at the track end. Police were alerted by worried parents and friends calling for assistance. Fortunately a trio of women on the track had come across the pair and chaperoned them to the finish at 11.30pm.
On Sunday 14th, a 74-year-old Finnish woman was hiking alone on the track and called for help when she was so exhausted she could not walk any further. Her shuttle bus driver walked up the track and found her 2.5 km from the end. Police were notified and a four-person LandSAR team from Turangi was deployed with a stretcher. The team located the bus driver and the woman. She was carried out on a stretcher and met by St John Paramedics. The woman was checked over and able to leave with her husband needing no medical treatment.
Yesterday evening, 17th January, two people were rescued from the summit of Red Crater which is the mid-point on the Alpine Crossing. Two 18-year-old men, one from Auckland and the other from South Africa were in a group of four doing the Tongariro Northern Circuit when they were overcome by exhaustion and cold. Thick low cloud meant the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter from Taupo was unable to fly to the men, and a four-person LandSAR team from Turangi was mobilised. The team was flown in as far as possible up the Oturere Valley and continued on foot to find the men huddled in cloud at 1868m above sea level at the summit. They received first aid and were assisted down to the Oturere Valley. The cloud prevented any helicopter evacuation, so the rescuers walked out to the Desert Road then drove home, while the trampers spent the night at Oturere Hut.
Tongariro is an alpine environment, so it is suggested people have a good level of physical fitness and endurance if they are planning on hiking the Crossing. It can take at least eight hours, has steep climbs and frequently changing weather conditions. Wear hiking boots, take plenty of food and clothing, bring a hat for hot and cold weather and a torch is essential. Make sure you are finished before sunset as it’s not fun hiking a mountain in the dark if you’ve not planned for it.
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing attracts people from all over the world and is a memorable achievement, however local Police, LandSAR, Department of Conservation and Iwi encourage people to attempt the 19km crossing with some thought, preparation and respect, so it’s memorable for the right reasons.
ENDS
See The Outdoor Safety Code at www.adventuresmart.org.nz
Plenty more advice is readily available on the Mountain Safety and DOC websites.
Issued by Police Media Centre