Couple in street gear risk mountain climb
An experienced climber has criticised two ill-equipped tourists for climbing Taranaki Maunga in icy conditions a week after two men died on the mountain.
Lindsay Maindonald was on a day trek above Kapuni Lodge, on the southern slopes, last Friday when he saw a man and a woman walking down from Fanthams Peak, which is 1962 metres (6437 feet) above sea level.
‘‘There were ice puddles on my way up, and with the sun going down the track was just starting to ice over,’’ he said. ‘‘I saw the pair coming down the track with not a lot of warm gear on, carrying a small pack and wearing sneakers.’’
Maindonald was carrying an ice axe and crampons and wearing boots to dig steps into the ground.
The conditions were clear at 3pm and the sun was about to disappear behind the mountain.
‘‘I told them that they shouldn’t be on the mountain dressed as they were in the conditions.’’
Maindonald told the couple two men had died the week before not far from where they had been.
‘‘I told them they were crazy to be up here.’’
The couple replied that they knew about the tragedy and were terrified, but had decided to take the risk, Maindonald said.
Christchurch engineers Peter Kirkwood and Richard Phillips died near Fanthams Peak on May 6 as they descended in icy conditions following a night summit.
A rahui/ban was placed on the maunga after the deaths and lifted the morning the couple decided to climb to Fanthams Peak.
The couple continued down the slope, which was quickly freezing over, while Maindonald walked a few hundred metres up before turning back. ‘‘I was only intending to go for a walk and see what it was like, but decided it was too icy to go any further.’’
He caught up with the couple on the track steps above Kapuni Lodge.
‘‘One of them had slipped but was not seriously hurt. I was so angry. I told them they could easily have died and put others at risk rescuing them.’’
The pair agreed they had been fortunate, he said.
‘‘When they said ‘it’s been our lucky day’, I suggested they buy a Lotto ticket.
‘‘It’s absolutely unbelievable how stupid people can be.’’
Last year Maindonald and his friend Dave Sattler helped a couple descend the mountain using a pair of long johns and thermal top as a rope. Several months before, he came across a young tourist who had climbed to the summit without adequate gear.
Department of Conservation Taranaki operations manager Gareth Hopkins said although DOC emphasised the need for people to prepare and equip themselves properly – ultimately the decisions sit with the visitors.
‘‘People heading into alpine areas need to be aware of the risks and what they are taking on,’’ he said in an emailed statement.
‘‘At Taranaki Maunga, like all alpine locations, the weather conditions can change very quickly, which can increase the risk for visitors. Visitors need to be prepared to turn back if the weather deteriorates.
‘‘We are coming into winter and the need for proper preparation, equipment and clothing are even greater now.
‘‘Visitors to the maunga need to inform and prepare themselves properly and our Visitor Centre teams can help them.’’
‘‘I saw the pair coming down the track with not a lot of warm gear on, carrying a small pack and wearing sneakers.’’
Lindsay Maindonald