Missing climber’s gear found in mountain hut

A SLEEPING bag, camera case and jacket found in an alpine hut on Mt Earnslaw belong to missing climber Simon Bell, police say.

Bell, 33, a highly competent and experienced climber from Wellington, has not been seen since he set out three weeks ago to climb Mt Earnslaw, near Glenorchy, northwest of Queenstown.

His former partner raised the alarm on Monday. The search and rescue was postponed yesterday because of rough weather.

Acting Sergeant Steve Watt said an aerial search of Mt Earnslaw huts and surrounding tracks was done on Tuesday.

A search team then landed at the Esquilant Bivvy Hut, where they found a sleeping bag, camera case, battery pack and jacket.

Watt said the climber’s personal locator beacon and satellite handset had not been activated. Police also spoke to a climbing guide who was staying at the hut when Bell was there about January 14.

‘‘The climber provided further information about Simon’s possible intentions. It’s thought Simon intended to climb the west-to-east face.’’

Other areas, including the Mt Earnslaw west peak, east peak and Pluto peak, have been earmarked for searches but wet conditions have postponed searching.

Wanaka-based mountaineer Paul Rogers, who has 25 years’ experience, including search and rescues, said the search was ‘‘a bit of a needle in a haystack’’.

Rogers said that if a report from other climbers – who said there was no sign of Bell in the bivvy hut on January 25 – was correct, then it was possible he was back after that date.

It also indicated Bell did not descend below the bivvy hut.

The climber, who was working his way though a ‘‘100 peak’’ list, was carrying a cellphone, personal locator beacon and a GPS satellite handset.

Mt Earnslaw/Pikirakatahi is a 2819m, twin-peaked mountain about 25 kilometres north of Glenorchy.

Simon Bell