CLIMBERS SAFE

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 438, 20 May 1937, Page 4

CLIMBERS SAFE

NIGHT IN BUSH Course of Streams Followed ■ ’« I Unharmed, Miss T. Field (Nelson) and Mr Arnold Prestige (Matapu), who were lost on Mount Egmont on Tuesday afternoon, walked out of the bush reserve at the top of the Mangawhero Road, six miles from Kaponga, at 2.55 p.m. yesterdlay. They had left Dawson Falls for Fantham Peak early on Tuesday afternoon. Miss Field and Mr Prestige appeared none the worse for their experience when interviewed at Manglawhro Road shortly after their arrival. Both were feeling the strain of the ordeal but apart from a sprained ankle suffered by Miss Field, they appeared to be in the best of health. After climbing to Vhe snow line on Tuesday the pair descended' to the Lake Dive track and, under the Impression thiat it led to Hastie’c Hill, decided to return to the hostel by that route. On reaching the lake they unable to find a continuation of the track and, still under the impression ithat the track led toward Dawson Fails, they set about finding an outlet Dusk fell quickly and they were unlable to return to the track by which they had come. TKey decided to spend the night at the lake and lmprovis.ed a seat in a flax bush by using a signpost and placing the cign on the ground as a footrest. Conditions were mild but nevertheless Miss Field and Mr Prestige, although not seriously inconvenienced by Itihe raJn, shivered the grelater part of the night. Warmth was soon restored when at 6.55 a.m. they resumed their task of finding the track which they supposed led to Dawson Falls. Concern at thoir predicament was not felt overnight because they realised that they couid return to the higher slopes in the morning if necessary by the track by which they had descended. It was while looktag for a non-existent track to Dawson Falls in the morning that they became lost. Climbing trees they were able to ere the plains below and they decided to make for the open country. Making goodi use of streams as a directional .guide they struck the Otakeho s'ream, which they followed as nearly as possible to the top of Mangawhero Road.