School group actions worry local conservators

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 8, Issue 382, 16 April 1991, Page 3

School group actions worry local conservators

Department of Conservation staff have expressed concern about school groups camping in the mountains when snow and bad weather is forecast.

There were between 10 and 12 school groups camping in the Tongariro National Park last week and some of these groups did not have radios with them.

One of the groups, seventh formers from Wanganui Collegiate, were picked up on the mountain road by Department of Conservation ranger Lisle Irwin

who saw them crossing on the round-the-moun-tain track. 'The boys were in the early stage of being hypothermic," said Mr Irwin. "It was not a dangerous situation but it did have the potential to lead to a disaster." Mr Irwin felt the boys had made quite a good effort to get to the

mountain road. "They were*, not that well equipped and although the Department knew about several other groups from the same school around the mountain this group had not checked in at Ohakune," said Mr Irwin. The group was to spend five days earning

their Duke of Edinborough badges and had no teacher with them. They had spent the night at the Mangaturuturu hut where over night there had been heavy snow and they had left the hut to travel to the Rangipo Hut. The group would not have made it the Rangipo Hut according to Mr Irwin.

Collegiate headmaster Trevor McKinlay said the group was of Edinborough Gold boys who have had a least four years' outdoor experience and that the trip was a reasonable test of endurance and survival exercise. While the boys did not have a teacher with them they were closely monitored by an experienced teacher who was in the area. After the boys had been attended to by Department of Conserva-

tion staff they stayed in a hut near the ranger station overnight and then drove and walked to the Waihohona Hut with teachers for the rest of the week. "While Collegiate has been on the mountain on many occasions over the last few years and our operations have been tried and proven, I will be writing formally to the ranger to see if any stage of our operation needs review," said Mr McKinlay.