Annual Search and Rescue training for the 2010-11 summer season

I post this event every year it seems. The years go by a bit too quickly! Last summer thankfully there was little happening re. accidents in our mountains. Lets hope it's quiet this time around also.

I train because it's fun, and don't feel a burning need to be as involved as I was back on the 80s. But if I end up 'out there' in a sharp situation, I simply want to stay safe for my own sake and for my companions/friends, and of course for all the wonderful people who comprise my day-to-day life.

Anna, a very experienced heli-ski guide summons her team [with a smile] to board for a trip up the hill to do a stretcher rope lower down over low angle terrain...


Much of the exercise was devoted to safety around helicopters...


The lower begins in the bush...




Then out into the open...




Job done it's time for multiple hops/pickups and alights from the Squirrel down the hill, while it has one skid or less on the ground...




Next it's off to the Matukituki river for 4wd, stretcher bearing and tramping style familiarisation with river crossing. All mixed in with some GPS work, and finishing with a barbe in the cool under a willow by the river...


Mt Aspiring, scene of so many Wanaka Search and Rescue missions sort of watches over us and the river...


Wild roses back at the Police Station - they seem an incongruous foil to the temp. shipping container goal for New Year's drunks...


So stay safe dear readers!

A little bit of an adventure many years ago

I've just been exploring yet another function of a new scanner I bought awhile back - this time doing colour negatives. I've done a few hundred old colour slides, but the negs. take a bit more time, as for starters they're not so easy to eye-ball and identify what they're of.

Anyway I was quite excited to find the negs. below. They are of what was a very complex Wanaka Search and Rescue mission under the West face of Mt Aspiring, probably about 1989. It's a little topical right now too, as in the mountains we're getting a few avalanche events due to the new snowfalls and changes in the weather pattern from settled to fronts coming through regularly.

We needed to get many people up there to find the bodies of an unfortunate couple who fell off the mountain, so the Air Force got involved. Operating one of these 4.5 ton machines at altitude involves great skill, and here one of our team provides a visual point of reference. Although it appears the machine has landed it's actually still being flown. Settling that much weight down can cause many problems if the skids sink in too far...


Subsequent snowfalls and avalanches since the accident gave us cause to be very careful. We were also aware they may have buried the bodies to quite a depth...


It was quite a saga: a local mountaineer was up there doing his own solo ski tour, and simply came across the two victims, a couple, who had fallen, roped together, off the Nor West Ridge, from just above the The Ramp. To his credit in a very unsettling situation to be alone in, he managed to descend the complex French Ridge route safely to raise the alarm. Over the next few days three of us had many spooky trips in cloud to the site, in between fronts, in a Hughes 500, looking for them, however they were buried by snowfall after the first front went through. So when the weather allowed about 10 days later, we actioned a typical avalanche rescue plan - a probe line. After a few hours of what has to be a very pedantic grid pattern search we succeeded and they were found just a little way away from all the debris in the pictures. Mostly this was due to the initial "discoverer" being able to identify the area. All-in-all it was hard on him, from go to whoa!

We tried a search dog first, but Rosella had never trained on dead person smells, but she tried her best for an hour, while we kept warm readying the area for the doz. or so people yet to arrive...


Job over I made one last photo before boarding - very glad to be out of there where so much was hanging above us, and an aircraft operating on the very edge in every way [rotor noise/ air displacement is thought to be able to trigger avalanches too], never giving riding with the body bags a second thought!...


We had to refuel down in the valley - I still recall how sweet the greens and browns were, and the smell of living - reminding me there is so much to be grateful for! These machines use a 40 gal. drum worth every half hour, and the tanks had to be near empty up on the mountain working at about 8000 ft., to keep the weight down...


There were many fine decisions made on this day by all concerned - fine in every sense of the word!

A great day out on SAR training

The story this week is similar to one of a year or more ago: a local Search and Rescue training day on 4wd drive preparedness and deployment in typical and unique South Island New Zealand high country braided river bed terrain. A great day out with friends it was too!

This year a new Police 4wd was initiated into the training day. To me it seemed incongruous to see what is a common sight on our roads in this environment, but it's really such a good idea that the need has been recognised and resources committed...

Local farmer Mike on the left, whose life and livelihood integrates crossing the Makarora river on a daily basis discusses the line with my neighbour PC Mike [in orange] and our group...


After a deep immersion we examine where water got into which parts of the engine area, and where to watch and seal off so the vehicle stays functional [and intact!]


Since farmer Mike, apart from being a fundamental corner stone of our group, has a farm to run we took time to allow him and his dogs to muster some cattle...


They were a docile bunch, and the dogs had to work very hard to get them onto better food uphill...


Lunch just up the hill from the cattle. Head of Lake Wanaka beyond...


Looking down at the Nottingly River. Sadly John Sarginson a legendary run-holder of Mt Albert Station drowned in this creek. You can see a hut near by the large trees in this photo, and towards the right back from the lake by a poplar is where the original Mt Albert Station homestead used to be prior to being abandoned and subsequently burning down [1930 I think]...


Above mentioned hut... so awkward and remote to get to it's sometimes thought to be mythical


We travelled down the lake shore even further to an even more legendary, but seldom visited sheltered cove on Lake Wanaka to the site of an old wharf. By my calculations it's been 25 years since I've been here, and on that occasion with one close friend we were focused on getting to the East Matukitul valley on a 4 day tramping and mountaineering adventure. So this visit was very special to me, and that I had time to absorb this amazing spot and it's history. Sure you could get here by boat, but few do as there are no launching areas nearby despite the Haast/Wanaka highway just being across the lake. To have driven here by 4wd was rather unique as well...






The training continued though and we tested a new winch...




Mike poses by his Cruiser...


We head carefully home driving with the current rather than against it. These lighter vehicles tend to want to float too, so just like on foot, it's critical to go with the flow...


I made this shot out of the Land Cruiser's window! The Makarora is one big river...


Mountains and shadows [the upper fuzzy profile of ridges is the shadow caused by the setting sun highlighting the mountains behind the "real" looking ones, and the shadow is in essence projected onto the low cloud we suffered all day]

... and "yes" dear readers, the new camera is wonderful. I can't believe how the technology keeps improving so dramatically. Mind you learning all it's features may take me months!

Cascade Saddle Mt Aspiring National Park

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to take a few more shots while helping search for a missing tramper [Irina Yun - now presumed drowned - if you wish to read a comprehensive overview of the scenario then Bob McKerrow a highly respected and experienced NZ mountaineer has compiled an overview on his blog].

The Cascade Saddle is actually the low point on the middle to top right of this photo. The original route way back in the days of my boyhood was called the "Ernie Smith route" if I recall correctly, and it was replaced by improving on what was to be a new evolving [safer?] route known as the "Cullers Route" which exited higher up at or near where I took this photo at "the Pylon". The current incarnation and improvements of that line descends from this point to the Cascade Stream [or river - take your pick], and then ascends again to the Cascade Saddle. Yes, lots of ups and downs, but an infinitely more straightforward route on relatively easier ground [as long as it's not wet]...

All week I have been pondering the sad fact that far too many people have died or come to grief in this "hard country", which can be so delightful on a good day, yet diabolical in any other sort of conditions, especially those featuring rain, wind or snow.

I don't recall the exact date as again it would have been when I was a youngster, but a person went missing in the bluffs back then, and a Royal New Zealand Air Force pilot by the name of Christopher Johnson was called on to search, and he did in a Harvard fighter plane, but unfortunately crashed and perished in the lower Cascade Stream, and so the initial tragedy was compounded! He has had a glacier named after him, but this is a sad "2nd best" to a life lost in the prime...

Of course I never knew Christopher, but I was to get to know people who knew and loved him, and I often have reflected how life would have worked out differently for many had he not perished at such a young age. On another level at the time of this tragic event he'd already had quite an influence on the climbing scene of the day in the NZ Alpine Club, where my outdoor skills were nurtured by those who knew him too. We live in a funny world of connectedness!

A sample of the terrain we searched between the Cascade Saddle and the Pylon...


Cascade Stream [which has to be crossed - and shelter is a scant commodity if you cannot] drops maybe 500 meters vertically where it goes out of sight in this photo. A drop so awesome it's totally beyond capture on camera, however there is a taste of it about five photos down...


Plunket Dome, despite the easy accessibility from the Saddle it's not frequented often - maybe it's the cumulative distance...


Upstream view of some of "our task" to poke our noses into: up Cascade Stream - some wild country and big...

The last time I was on a Search and Rescue mission on the Cascade Saddle route back in about the late 1980s, was when we were responding to the fact that early one morning a young student had run down to Aspiring Hut and raised the alarm. His companion had slipped on snow the evening before and slid head-first into some rocks just above bush-line sustaining head injuries. He'd got her [unconscious] onto safe flat ground somehow, then erected their tent, and he'd looked after her all night essentially ensuring a clear airway in a situation where he could not sleep. Our pick-up was far from simple as we had to carry her across the same 30 degree ice/snow she'd slipped on. The Jet Ranger, which at least was "shut-down" on an area the size of it's skids precisely on the very edge of a vertical drop-off into the bluffs, was a welcome sight on our return! I'm glad it was not windy, and it could park up, 'cause it could well have been!

Our helicopter heading into the Dart Glacier to pick up one of our group - we had to wait quite sometime for our pickup and we discussed anything but what we'd have to do if it could not make it back before more cloud drifted in and night became a reality, not just a promise...


The Dart Glacier again - on the right is the drop off for Cascade Stream as mentioned earlier...


Mt Rob Roy, second only in height in the area to Mt Aspiring which is hiding on the left...


Plunket Dome as the sun sets...

I've only touched on three tragedies on this route, but there have been countless others despite education attempts and warnings. In fact at least 3 people, with significant local knowledge advised Irina to not attempt the crossing in heavy rain - especially not alone. Regularly there is a theme of disregard for conditions accompanied by a goal deemed to be pressing! Search and Rescue personal do their best in what are all-to-often "fine" [in every sense of the word] scenarios heightened by short weather windows, for time is of the essence!

Experience and respect for weather and terrain with good team work and decision making is essential and I'm posting this blog to bring these concepts onto the radar of all those who browse the web for information, while planning to enjoy our amazing New Zealand mountains and landscapes!

The comments of Marg, one of my blog readers says it nicely:

"It is a grim reality that no matter how awe inspiring , beautiful and breathtaking the mountains are we would be fools to ever call them friends or expect the elements to deal kindly to us just because we expect it to be so. I am so dreadfully sorry that these beautiful photos are inspired by a search and rescue operation. It makes the sights all the more staggering and also more reverent I suppose if that is the right word."

Some points for people to keep in mind when planning some tramping in New Zealand:

1] The terrain in geological terms and weather is far more dynamic than most realise - even those with experience in other countries fail to grasp this! History repeatedly reinforces this in the minds of us Kiwis dedicated to education and Search and Rescue [as far as I'm concerned the latter is in the "ambulance at the bottom of the cliff" catagory - it's better we're all on the top!]

2] Just because high profile [irresponsible?] travel guides tout gems of trips to promote readership, don't believe what you read. Seek local advice! The Dept of Conservation and New Zealand Mountain Safety Council are great resources.

3] Make sure all experiences a small ones, and thus survivable. The big ones don't enhance learning [maybe in the next life]!

4] All actions, or in-actions in life have consequences. If we're traveling alone in New Zealand mountains expect those consequences to be dramatic if we're not mentally prepared and "trained up".

5] Be very aware of our capabilities, and the potential for good and bad times on New Zealand walks. I've seen too many in our hills with one foot on a banana skin and the other one in the grave! The sad thing to observe is that there is often no self perception of the lack of knowledge and experience.

6] In retrospect many of us have been "saved" by bad weather. By this I mean we have all had ill conceived ideas, but never had the chance to try them because the weather intervened!

7] Leave a record of intentions [I find the written word to be best]. This is called "signing in", so be it with the Dept of Conservation or a friend or whomever, don't forget to sign out! If I'm doing a solo trip I plan it well and make the plan part of the intentions. On the trip I always do my best to stick to this plan [which often will incorporate a backup or retreat option], so that if anything happens I've left the best clues possible behind. I'd also leave messages en-route, and if things were getting tough I'd leave even more e.g. an arrow made of stones or sticks incorporating my name.

Wanaka bound...

This was another memorable mountain day in the New Zealand Southern Alps, but I would have much rather have had a different reason to be in this area once again! A nice quiet trip in light airs and sunshine with my son, with lots of rests, light fluffy clouds and good cheer, with time to indulge in some serious landscape photography would be my pick for a perfect crossing!

Sharks Tooth from the air...

An interesting start to the New Year what with some varied outdoor activities

New Years day started for me watching fireworks down on Lake Wanaka's lake shore at midnight. I've always found Eely Point a good vantage point as it's not over-run by people. Before the day was out though I was deep in the heart of our Southern Alps on a Search and Rescue mission: an Aucklander of Uzbekistan descent was tramping alone from the Aspiring Hut to the Dart Hut over the Cascade Saddle, a tough alpine tramping route near Mount Aspiring, and not turned up at Dart Hut well over the other side.

A few light moments shared in the helicopter over the Matukituki river before arriving at the saddle...


I was far too busy after landing to photograph and admire the amazingly tough environment of Cascade Saddle and Dart Glacier we'd just been transported into as if by magic at over 1700 meters, until waiting to be picked up again in failing visibility with snow flakes. It was good to be "out-of-there" a few minutes later knowing darkness and a "weather bomb" were arriving...

Jan. 2nd as anticipated was a shocker for weather, and so no searching occurred. The next day I'd committed to helping with the half marathon "Souther Muster" being held at the Snow Farm. At 1500m we did get some left-over snowflakes from the big storm, but it was a lovely day, be it cool with the freezing level at about 1600m.

My camper beside Meadow Warming hut where we ran a drink station for the runners and bikers for the morning...




Runners calling in for drinks, bananas or jelly beans...


After the job was over there was time for a 3 hour walk and some serious landscape photography of the typical New Zealand high-country variety...






As of finishing this my weekly dispatch, the weather remains unsuitable for further searching for the tramper. It may be days before an outcome is achieved which will be hard for the search management team and the victim's family members.

PS just as I posted this the ph. rang and I find myself getting ready for another flight to Cascade Saddle [perhaps!]. Watch this space.