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High drama in the mountains of ENZED

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Kiwithrottlejockey
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Having fun in the hills!


« Reply #100 on: August 26, 2016, 10:44:40 am »


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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #101 on: December 06, 2016, 12:14:14 pm »


from Fairfax NZ....

Mountain guide rescued from Mount Tasman
‘very lucky’ after being hit by falling rock


By LIAM CAVANAGH | 2:04PM - Monday, 05 December 2016

A mountain guide has been flown to Christchurch Hospital with moderate injuries following a rescue on Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. — Photograph: Mytchall Bransgrove/Fairfax NZ.
A mountain guide has been flown to Christchurch Hospital with moderate injuries following
a rescue on Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. — Photograph: Mytchall Bransgrove/Fairfax NZ.


A LOCAL MOUNTAIN GUIDE rescued from Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is “lucky” to have escaped life-threatening injuries after being hit by a falling rock on Monday.

The Aoraki/Mount Cook-based Department of Conservation (DOC) Alpine Cliff Rescue Team received a callout to Mount Tasman after a personal locator beacon was set off at 2.25am on Monday.

Senior Sergeant Antony Callon, of Timaru, said a woman got caught up in a rockfall at Syme Ridge on Mount Tasman.

She sustained moderate injuries and was recovered at 8.30am, when she was flown to Christchurch Hospital.

Westpac Rescue Helicopter crewman Rick Knight, of Christchurch, said the 42-year-old experienced mountain guide was traversing the mountain when she was hit by a falling rock.

She was a “well-respected” climber and lived in Aoraki/Mount Cook village.

She was on a relatively flat area of the mountain when she was struck by the falling rock, which weighed at least one-kilogram, Knight said.

That force of the impact “shattered” the top part of her arm, breaking it, he said.

The rock also hit her in the face, causing facial injuries.

She was “very lucky” the injuries were not life-threatening, he said.




A Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand media spokesman said the woman was an alpine mountain guide, and had been with a client at the time.

She was stabilised at the scene by DOC crews, assisted by two other mountain guides, who were in the area where she fell.

“They made their way to scene to provide assistance,” the spokesman said.

Another team, which included a doctor, was on standby, but was not required.

The injured woman was flown to the DOC base at Aoraki/Mount Cook, before being picked up by a Westpac Rescue Helicopter and taken to Christchurch Hospital, he said.

Aoraki/Mount Cook-based DOC operations manager Mike Davies said it was not unusual for a climb to start so early in the morning.

Climbers often started off very early to avoid the heat of the day.

“That's when the danger occurs,” Davies said.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/87195575
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #102 on: December 06, 2016, 12:16:26 pm »


from The Timaru Herald....

Start of summer climbing season marked
by search and rescue operations


By LIAM CAVANAGH | 6:47PM - Monday, December 05, 2016

Two people have been rescued from Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park this month. — Photograph: John Bisset/Fairfax NZ.
Two people have been rescued from Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park this month.
 — Photograph: John Bisset/Fairfax NZ.


THREE search and rescue operations on Canterbury mountains have marked what is traditionally known as the start of climbing season.

The incidents follow the release of statistics which reveal a third of all fatalities on mountains occur in December.

A 42-year-old local mountain guide had to be rescued from Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park after she was hit by a falling rock on Mount Tasman on Monday morning.

It followed another incident where a Foxton man was rescued, and flown to hospital with serious injuries, on Friday after he fell 300 metres on Mt Elie de Beaumont, which is also located in the national park.

Meanwhile, police were working to formally identify a person who had died as a result of falling on Mount Harper, at Arthurs Pass, on the same day.

Mountain Safety Council New Zealand spokesperson chief executive Mike Daisley said the recent incidents came at a time when they expected the number of incidents to increase.

“It's not a big surprise. We are all working to reduce that.”

Climbers knew the risks, recognised it was a challenging environment, and chose to be there, he said.

On Monday, an Aoraki/Mount Cook-based Department of Conservation (DOC) Alpine Cliff Rescue Team received a callout to Mount Tasman after a personal locator beacon was set off at 2.25am.

Senior Sergeant Antony Callon, of Timaru, said the woman got caught up in a rockfall on the Syme Ridge on Mount Tasman.

She sustained moderate injuries and was rescued at 8.30am, when she was flown to Christchurch Hospital.

Westpac Rescue Helicopter crewman Rick Knight, of Christchurch, said the 42-year-old experienced alpine mountain guide was traversing the mountain when she was hit by a falling rock.

The woman was a “well-respected” climber and lived in Aoraki/Mount Cook Village.

She was on a relatively flat part of the mountain when she was struck by the falling rock, which weighed at least one kilogram, Knight said.

That force of the impact “shattered” the top part of her arm, breaking it, he said.

The rock also hit her in the face, causing facial injuries.

She was “very lucky” the injuries were not life-threatening, he said.

New Zealand Mountain Safety Council statistics revealed a third of all fatalities, on mountains in New Zealand, occurred during the month of December.

In the Mackenzie District, 12 fatalities were recorded between July 2007 and December 2014, 10 of which were mountaineers and two trampers.

Seven died as a result of falling, three as a result of an avalanche, one of hypothermia, while one body was never recovered.

Climbers and trampers needed to understand their limitations, and other factors which might impact those, such as weather, Daisley said.

“Weather can have a massive impact on your limitations as a climber.”

People should also check in with DOC staff on the ground before commencing their trip, he said.

Federated Mountain Clubs vice president Jan Finlayson, of Geraldine, said people wanting to take to the mountains should check weather, and be prepared with extra food, supplies, and warm clothing.

“Know your skills and make sure they match where you are going.”

Tramping was New Zealand's national sport.

“Go for it, have fun, and come back safe.”


__________________________________________________________________________

Related stories:

 • Mountain guide rescued off Mount Cook after rockfall

 • Body recovered after climber falls in Arthur's Pass

 • Team praised for Aoraki/Mount Cook rescue


http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/87189005
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #103 on: December 10, 2016, 01:09:52 pm »


from The Timaru Herald....

Dead Australian climbing couple's emergency
beacon mysteriously activated


By LIAM CAVANAGH | 3:49PM - Friday, 09 December 2016

Stuart Jason Hollaway, 42, of Melbourne, Australia and his partner, Dale Amanda Thistlethwaite, 35, died in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park last year. — Photograph: Facebook.
Stuart Jason Hollaway, 42, of Melbourne, Australia and his partner, Dale Amanda
Thistlethwaite, 35, died in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park last year.
 — Photograph: Facebook.


A PERSONAL LOCATOR BEACON belonging to an Australian couple who died while climbing in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park has been mysteriously activated — almost a year after their bodies were recovered.

Police are mystified after a mountain rescue team responding to an emergency beacon signal found it was coming from the site where an Australian couple, Stuart Jason Hollaway and his partner, Dale Amanda Thistlethwaite, died last December.

The personal locater beacon had never been activated at the time the pair died.

It remained unclear how the beacon had been mysteriously activated on Friday.

Constable Les Andrew, of Twizel, confirmed the beacon had belonged to the climbing couple, after going through a list of property and photos of gear retrieved from the mountain, following a short investigation.

“It was below where the bodies were recovered,” he explained.

The beacon was discovered by an Aoraki/Mount Cook-based Department of Conservation alpine cliff rescue team, which was called out around 10am.


Dale Thistlethwaite and Stuart Hollaway on the summit of Rarakiroa/Mount Tasman, with Aoraki/Mount Cook in the background. — Photograph: Facebook.
Dale Thistlethwaite and Stuart Hollaway on the summit of Rarakiroa/Mount Tasman,
with Aoraki/Mount Cook in the background. — Photograph: Facebook.


The locator beacon had not been activated at the time the pair died, and were only discovered by a team after they failed to make contact. — Photograph: Alden Williams/Fairfax NZ.
The locator beacon had not been activated at the time the pair died, and were only
discovered by a team after they failed to make contact.
 — Photograph: Alden Williams/Fairfax NZ.


The couple's bodies were recovered from the bottom of a steep face on the eastern slopes of Mount Silberhorn on January 1st this year.

It was believed the pair, both of whom were experienced climbers, had perished as a result of a fall.

The locator beacon had not been activated at the time the pair died, and they were only discovered by a search and rescue team after they failed to radio in regarding their intentions.

Andrew agreed it was a spooky coincidence, almost 12 months after the pair died.

“It's close to the anniversary.”

The search was then called off and a request put in to the Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand to disable the beacon.

It was not safe to retrieve the beacon from the site, Andrew said.


Dale Thistlethwaite (pictured) and her partner Stuart Hollaway failed to radio in on December 28th.
Dale Thistlethwaite (pictured) and her partner Stuart Hollaway failed to radio in
on December 28th.


One example of an emergency locator beacon.
One example of an emergency locator beacon.

Rescue Co-ordination Centre NZ senior search and rescue officer Ramon Davis said it was possible water or rust might have caused the beacon to activate.

Personal locator beacons with good batteries could last 10 years, he said.

However, once activated, they were designed to last a minimum of 24 hours, and a maximum of two or three days.

Each one had a unique identifier and was registered in a database with emergency contact details.

The one activated on Friday could not have been activated last year, he said.

“No way it could last a year.”

Aoraki/Mount Cook DOC operations manager Mike Davies said he was not aware of the details, but said the situation was “unusual”.

It was believed initially the beacon had been in the gear which was retrieved from the site, Andrew said.

There had been a pouch for the beacon included in the gear belonging to them, he said.

However, the incident had proved to be a valuable learning opportunity for police for future recovery operations.




__________________________________________________________________________

Related story:

 • Climbing community mourns death of ‘mountain brother’


http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/87401625
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