CLIMBERS LOST

Hokitika Guardian, 16 March 1932, Page 2

CLIMBERS LOST

FOG ON MOUNTAIN. FIFTEEN MILES ASTRAY. CHRISTCHURCH, March 15. Shrouded in dense fog, three trampers spent twelve hours on Sunday on the upper slopes of Mount Thomas. They eA’entually found the' road at White Rock, fifteen miles away from the point where they had started and where their car Avas parked. 'Hie party, Avhich. left Christchurch early in the morning, got back at three o’clock the next morning;,. The car, which belonged to Mr J, A, Bentley, 83, Shakespeare Road, Waltham, was left at the homestead of Mr R, Smith, Okuku, in. the morning, Mr Bentley and two companions starting out with the intention of climbing to the summit of Mount Thomas. They made the ascent without difficulty, but before they descended a thick, soaking fog had enveloped the countryside. The three men decided that they Avould keep to a high -spur, and so regain the road Avith out having to pass through the thick hush that covers one of the slopes. Not being able to see more than a feAv yards ahead, the party veered too far to the left and, although they missed the bush, found that there Avas no Avay of leaving the ridge. They followed it to White Rock, and managed to descend along the bank of a tributary to the Okuku Stream. When night fell and there Avas no sign of the trampers, a search party Avas organised by Mr Smith, hut the members of it Avere unable to locate the three men, who, by this time, had regained the road fifteen miles oaa ay. They reached their car at 10.30 p.m., and soon afterwards set out for Christ.church. Tiredness was the only complaint I the men had yesterday. They . were 1 all experienced climbers, and did not consider, that their adventure wag anything out of the ordinary.