Joy at last for Ruapehu rescuers

Ruapehu Bulletin, 17 August 1990, Page 3

Joy at last for Ruapehu rescuers

Climber survives 6 days in blizzard

After tragedy earlier in the week, Ruapehu rescuers experienced joy when lost climber Ji Jo (George) Iwama was found alive and well following five days in a snow cave.

Mr Iwama put his survival down to good equipment, a radio and experience. He said he had the equipment he needed to survive, the transistor radio helped his moral with news of the rescue mission that was under way to save him, and his experience in handling himself in such conditions and with

building snow shelters. He said he kept warm by doing exercises and by avoiding contact with the ice walls. Turoa snow groomer driver Tom Elworthy was working at the top of the High Noon T Bar on the southern slopes ski field when he spotted the climber traversing across the slope about

200 metres above the T Bar at about 7am yesterday morning. "When I saw him I thought he'd spotted the cat because he stopped too, but then he carried on traversing," said Mr Elworthy. "So I tooted the horn - he nearly jumped out of his skin." Mr Elworthy drove up to Mr Iwana and picked him up. "He was very, very pleased to see me. His moral was amazing, a box of birds really." He

said the climber's feet were a bit cold, he was suffering some minor frostbite but overall wasn't too badly off and not distraught. Mr Iwana had been trapped in the Crater Lake area on the weekend but had made his way towards the Turoa side during a short break in the weather early on Sunday. When it closed in again he built another snow cave near the Mangaturuturu Glacier west of Turoa and sat out

the storm. Mr Elworthy drove the climber to the Giant Cafe where he had coffee and cigarettes before being picked up by heli-

copter and taken to Iwikau shelter. Mr Iwana said he heard a snow cat drive past him on Wednesday night but he did not risk leav-

ing the cave. The cat was trying to cut a track west but had to turn back because the avalanche danger was too high, said Mr Elworthy.