Overdue tramper found but lack of loo paper little help
A Wellington tramper is lucky to have been rescued from remote bushland by a helicopter after he was unable to finish his “Help” sign because he ran out of toilet paper.
The 55-year-old man began crafting his help sign out of toilet roll after he embarked on a five-day trek through the Wairarapa’s Tararua Forest Park but found the “conditions beyond his experience”.
Police said he started the walk through the Mt Holdsworth area of the park on September 28 and planned to visit several alpine huts along the main Tararua range.
Concerned family members contacted police when he did not make contact as planned on October 6, as weather conditions worsened.
Police and search and rescue volunteers began searching for him on October 7, before finding him safe and well at Mid-Waio¯hine hut.
“He did not have a rescue beacon and had only completed a short portion of his intended route before finding the conditions beyond his experience,” Rural Community Constable Selena Blayney said.
The man spent several nights at Mid-Waio¯hine Hut and made a help sign out of toilet paper, which helped a rescue helicopter locate him, she said.
However, the man was lucky to be spotted, as he ran out of paper before being able to finish the sign.
He was flown out of the area and reunited with friends and family.
“Police would like to thank the LandSAR volunteers who assisted with the search,” Blayney said.