GIRL SPENDS TWO NIGHTS IN OPEN ON MOUNTAIN

Chronicle (Levin), 10 April 1947, Page 2

GIRL SPENDS TWO NIGHTS IN OPEN ON MOUNTAIN

DUNEDIN, April 8. When two girls from Otago University rramping Club, Misses JSheila Traill, ot titewart Island, aud Phyllis Boai, of Wellington, became separated in the Remarkables on fSunday while 011 a tramping trip from Clyde to Queenstown, via the Carrick and lie niarlcable Kanges, the former was alone in the mouutaius for. neariy two days until oue of several searcli parties i'ound her this morning. Clie was unconceruedly malcing her way back to the Deep (Jreelc Hut, where she had left her conipanion on Suuday. The girls. left Dunedin on Thursday for Clyde, and on Friday they climbed Ihe Carrick Range, stayiiig the nighl in the Carrick llut. After malcing a call ilt Mr. H E. Jolly's Craigroy station at Nevis on Baturday morning, they set out to climb the Remarkables by way of the Double Cone, a prominent feature of the range, and reached the Deep Creelc Hut before nightfail. -- Uu the following morning they resumed their climb, but separated I shortly aftervvards, Miss Trail, who lias lieen accustomed to rough trampijng all her life, going on ahekd and leaving Miss Boal to follow.. When Miss Boul reached the point at wluch they had apparently agrced to m'eet, she could find no sign of Miss Trail], and after searching for her for about t'our hours, Miss Boal decided to return to the Deep Creelc Hut. At about 6 p.m. ou Bunday Miss Boal saw what she thought was the smolce of a fire on the range, and, thiuking that Miss Traill would return to the hunt on the Moiiday morning, she rcmained there ovemight. There was a sharp frost in the mountains tliat night, but whereas Miss Boai was wcaring only shorts and light clotliing, Miss Traill -was clad in a heavy mountaineering outfit, and Miss Boal was not unduly concerned at her having to spend the night in the open. When "Miss Traill did not return to the hut on Monday morning, Miss Boal left a note setting out wliat she was going to do and went to Mr. J. G. Bcaton 's property at Gibbston, Mr. Beaton taking her to the police at Queenstown. The organisation of search parties was immediately put in hand. Parties under Constable Ogilvie, of Arrowtown, left from the Gibbston side of the range this morniug, while Constable Doeherty was in charge of the Queenstown parties. .A system of signals between the search ers and a plane which assisted was decided upou and worlced successfully, for when Constable Ogilvie 's party found Miss Traill malcing her way down to the Deep Creek Hut the plane crossed" the range aud signalled to thg jjarties on the Queenstown side, and they returued home. Miss Traill, who was unaffected by her two nights in the open, returned to Mr. Beaton 's property, where slie joined Miss Boel, and shortly aftervvards the two girls set out on foot for Cromwell, some 20 miles away.