FATAL SLIDE

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19892, 22 May 1936, Page 8

FATAL SLIDE

MOUNTAIN TRAGEDY. COMPANIONS TELL STORY. FUTILE RESCUE EFFORTS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) TAUMARUNUI, Friday. The inquest concerning the death of James Alexander Gordon, who lost his life on Mount Ruapehu on Wednesday, was held last night at the Chateau before Mr A. S. Laird, coroner. Donald Hall 'Nicholson, solicitor, gave evidence that the conditions ascending •the glacier were perfect and'they decided on the ascent of Ruapehu Peak, the highest point on the mountain. The party had not gone more than fifty yards from the spot where they had lunch when Mannering, who was leading, struck hard ice and Immediately decided to go back as the conditions were too dangerous.

When witness turned round he saw the deoeased, who was sitting down, begin to slide. They called out to him to dig his feet In but he gathered speed and disappeared over the edge of the crater lake.

Witness took the boys back.to the luncheon place, and then witness and Mannering went round- to the eastern side of the lake where-they were able to. see Gordon clinging to a rock. They at once sent Cotton back- for assistance and witness and Mannering, ■ who had 100 ft. of rope, endeavoured to find a suitable spot to-get down to Gordon’s assistance but with the small length of rope they had it was impossible for them to do so. They called to Gordon and .-he answered- them.

Not Roped Together. The party had. not been roped together. Witness .considered it was unnecessary in that locality. It would have been unsafe for seven people to be .roped on to one. rope.. The party had two.ice axes with them. Witpess then took the boys back to the Chateau and Mannering stayed at the crater to encourage Gordon to hold on.

Edward Patrick Cotton .corroborated the evidence and described his dash down the mountain-side for help.. He niet Guide Risberg at the Ruapehu Ski Hut, and measures to rescue Gordon were taken at once.

Sefton Alexander Mannering, auctioneer,. gave- evidence that after Nicholson left witness went back to the crater's edge and told, the deceased.. ihtl im.ii were coming with ropes.. Gordon replied: “All right, old man.’.’ Witness endeavoured alone to get down to-.him on Jhe south-east ■side but was blocked by a sheer drop of 40 feet. Efforts to Recover Body. Witness then cut steps to facilitate the work of the rescue party. Gordon later moved to another rock near the edge of the lake. He was standing about waist deep in water. Gordon fell back on to tile rock and soon after disappeared and witness later saw the body floating. Soon after this Chief Guide Risberg arrived, and he and witness endeavoured to get down, but it was impossible. A relief party arrived at 3 o’clock, which was an extraordinarily quick response as the accident happened at 11.30, Attempts by the relief party to get down to the lake failed and as it was obvious Gordon was dead they returned to the Chateau. Witness was an experienced mountaineer and had climbed Ruapehu many times. Arthur Sandei, surveyor, of Taumarunui, described how witness, together, with Guide Risberg and John Bryan, postal clerk, of Taumarunui, were lowered by 400 feet of rope into the lake. Only Six Yards from Shore. Witness made his way alone round the edge ,of the lake and waded up to the waist in water to reach the body, which was lying face down in the lake, only six yards from the shore. Had Gordon been able to help himself he would have had no difficulty In reaching the shore. It was bitterly oold when witness came out of the water and witness was of opinion that this was one of the-causes of Gordon's demise. Cause of Death. Witness transported the body back to where the other two men were waiting and eventually with the assistance of others on the crater rim they got the body out. The rescue party was well organised and equipped and did splendid work. Dr Cameron, of Hawera, gave evidence that he could not give the cause of death as he had not made a postmortem examination, but in his opinion .Gordon died from severe internal injury and from exposure to the cold. Guide Risberg described -the measures taken to effect the rescue. The inquest was adjourned at one 1 o'clock in. the morning sine die to enable the police to obtain expert evidence. * - BODY RECOVERED. A HAZARDOUS UNDERTAKING. THE CHATEAU, Thursday. The body of Mi* James Alexander Gordon, solicitor, of Taumarunui, the victim of the tragedy on Ruapehu on Wednesday, was recovered from the Crater Lake this morning, after an hazardous experience by the party of 14 men who left the Chateau at 3 a.m. Soon after the recovery of the body, the lake, commenced to steam, and the chief guide, Mr Risberg, expressed the opinion that he "was glad to get out of it.’ . The members of the party cut steps On the ice, and then- five of them roped themselves and- began the hazardous descent of 400 feet to the edge of the lake. At times they were suspended in mid-Air. # The descent, however, was safely made, and the men had then to make their way f(sr some. 400 yards along the edge to the spot where Mr Gordon was last, seen: This was a most difficult, task and extreme care had to bo exercised. The. body was then discerned face downward about 10 yards from the shore, 'the water being only about three feet deep. It had been almost; stripped of clothes, and there was ev/_ denee of serious head injuries. r The body was raised to the higl/^ er levels by means of ropes, and it v vas conveyed by ski and paekhorse, to (the Chateau, which was' reached 6.30 p.m. / Relatives and friends of the j deceased speak highly of the effect 0 f the party in recovering the body j n particular, they praise Messrs! Risberg. Sandei -and Bryan for their (courage in descending into the crat<i r .