Climber spoke of heading to the mountains
An avid mountaineer who has been missing for three months spoke of her intention to head out into the wilderness just before she disappeared.
Marni Sheppeard, 53, was reported missing in January.
She was last heard from early on November 19 when she posted a photo of herself on Twitter, saying ‘‘off to the mountains’’, police said yesterday.
Inquiries established she travelled by bus to the west of Christchurch on the same day, before her last recorded bank transaction was made about 8.30am at the Darfield Fruit and Vegetable Store.
Sheppeard is known to frequent the Arthur’s Pass and West Coast areas, and police are appealing for help from anyone who may have seen her.
Sheppeard, who has a PhD in theoretical physics, is an experienced mountaineer and has survived previous search and rescue operations. In 2003, she spent eight days trapped in Arthur’s Pass National Park before being rescued. She and fellow physics student Sonja Rendell had planned for a three-day tramp but endured seven extra nights stranded on an exposed ridge in rain, sleet and snow.
Prior to this she was rescued from a crevasse after injuring her ankle while climbing in the Swiss Alps.
Sheppeard trained for alpine climbing after working as part of the search and rescue team in Wa¯ naka, where she lived for several years. In recent years she has been homeless and living in poverty.
Sheppeard is described as being about 162cm tall and of slim build, and was last seen wearing a black T-shirt and a green Macpac backpack.
Police are continuing their search, and anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to call 105, quoting file number 210115/4277.