SEARCH IN ICE CHASM

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21733, 16 March 1936, Page 10

SEARCH IN ICE CHASM

Attempt to Recover Guide’s Body % HAZARDOUS WORK NEs| FOX GLACIER An attempt to recover the body;ol Thomas Christie, a guide at the Glacier Hostel, who lost his life when he fell down a crevasse neftj the Pioneer Hut on November .’tij last, will be made this week. This season of the year is said to be the most favourable for the work, b6< fore the arrival of the first wintqi snows, and the crevasse is now thought to have opened to the maximum width that can be expect

The search party, which will letfvftwl Weheka to-day, is made up of'four well-known South Westland, Messrs J. Blackie, J. Matheson, Dwyer, and F. Russell. The were notified of the attempt, and .(■ Constable Best, who is in charge the south district, has applied for, and been granted, permission to-?A& accompany the party. v: - '- The expedition is expected to Bejfcfj away for the greater part of week, and the work to be done it—rexplpring the depths of a deep‘d crevasse—will be both arid dangerous, and the greatest; care will be necessary to ensure ih&jM safety of the member of the. party *h| who will be lowered down the vasse to do the actual searching the body. ”4?./ Christie had had about six experience in the Fox Glacier gion. He was a single man 30 years of age, and was very popular. had been returning alone from the’J&i Pioneer bivouac, 9000 feet; up the Explorer Glacier, and it thought that he misjudged the width; ;->$ of a snow-covered crevasse and about 200 feet. Marks where Chris-:T||| tie had tested the side of the vasse with his ice-axe were plainly visible when another party in search of Christie reached the scene, and made it plain what had A hole in the glacier snow, near these marks, and-air. the end of th®=?j| trail left by Christie marked the actual spot. At the time of the tragedy there were three climbers on the glacier —Guide Alack, and Messrs T. T. {xl Robins and A. J. Scott, of Christchurch. , - v A rope lowered 60 feet by this '*s party failed to touch the bottom of vjS the crevasse. About 60 feet down f/ too, there was a ridge of ice below>'.’, ! | which the crevasse narrowed con- 1 ‘-?:M siderably, continuing, on downwards at an angle which made judging thS *j full depth with accuracy an impos-, • s| sible task.. ;■ ; 1 $