Rangers warn of ice danger

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 18, 24 September 1985, Page 21

Rangers warn of ice danger

Two people were admitted to hospital after slipping down Mt Ruapehu and Mt Tongariro and park rangers are warning trampers and skiers of the hazardous, icy conditions on the southern and southwestern slopes of all mountains in the Tongariro National Park. Ranger at Park Headquarters Paul Dale says that conditions on the northern slopes of the mountains are good and people do not realise how different they are on the southern sides. The accident happened to a party of three Swiss skiers (two men and a girl) who are staying at Owhango for the winter. The group left their skis by the crater of Mt Ruapehu on Saturday afternoon and climbed up the mountain between the crater and the summit. "In the afternoon this area softens up pretty quickly so it was a fairly easy climb," says Brian Norton, park ranger at Ohakune Ranger Station. When they reached the summit, one of the climbers slipped and fell down the other side, where the conditions were very different from those that the party had just experienced. The man slipped 600 metres to the bull wheel at the top of the High Noon T-bar at Turoa. He received bruising and ice-burn type abrasions, and suffered severe shock. He was taken off the mountain by the Toiroa Ski Patrol and then taken to Wanganui Base Hospital from where he was discharged on Sunday. The girl in the party was brought down from the crater by a fixed rope belay

to the T-bar and then transported the rest of the way by sled. The other member of the party, who was more experienced, made his way down from the crater with ski patrollers. Park ranger at Whakapapa, Paul Dale, went looking for the party's skis, but found only one pair. "Someone else may have picked them up. . . we don't know if it was with good or bad intentions, but hopefully they will be returned," said Brian Norton. Another person was taken to hospital after she slipped down Mt Ngauruhoe on Sunday. A party from the Auckland Catholic T raming Club were climbing up the southern slopes of the mountain. A girl slipped and fell when they were within about 100 metres of the summit. She fell 300-400 metres over rock and ice. She received head injuries and several cuts and abrasions. The park nurse, two park professional ski patrollers and John Funnell with his helicopter, lifted the woman off the mountain and took herto Taumarunui Hospital. Paul Dale says the woman may have tripped. It was icy and they were cutting steps on the slopes. "They could perhaps have used ropes to prevent this," he said.