FATAL SLIP ON GLACIER

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22347, 10 March 1938, Page 11

FATAL SLIP ON GLACIER

SEVERAL ERRORS BY

GUIDE

CORONER'S COMMENT AT

INQUEST

LACK OF EXPERIENCE

BLAMED

[THE PRESS Special Servlce.l TIMARU, March 9. A reply to criticisms of his choice of route for a traverse of Graham’s Saddle made by a previous witness. Guide A. R. M. Bowie, of the Hermitage, Mount Cook, was made to-day by Guide Ronald Gunn, of Weheka, at the resumed inquest into the death of Patrick St. Edmund Carroll, aged 22, of Greymouth, who lost his life during an attempted trip from the Hermitage to Weheka through the Southern Alps in February. The evidence given at the previous hearing by Carroll’s father and Chief Guide Bowie, of the Hermitage, was read by the Coroner, Mr H. Morgan, at the resumption of the hearing today. The verdict was that Carroll died on the Southern Alps, near the head of the Ranfurly glacier, on the morning of February 12, from concussion of , the brain, the injuries detailed in the medical evidence, and exposure after a fall on the previous day in company with Guide < Gunn while attempting an east-to-west traverse of Graham’s Saddle. Several errors of judgment in attempting the trip in face of bad weather had occurred, the Coroner said, and they could be blamed on the lack of experience of the guide and -of Carroll, who evidently entered into the discussions and the making of the decisions. He warmly commended Guide Gunn for all that he did to assist and protect Carroll after the accident, and for his endurance and fortitude in holding out, although suffering from frostbite, for two days alongside his dead companion and eventually struggling down to the de la Beche Hut to wait alone for four days before rescuers arrived: Gunn, who was still showing sighs of his injuries, was allowed to sit and give his evidence. 1 Injuries Described Dr. G. R. Kingston, of Timaru, said that he examined Carroll’s body on February 22. There were some small contusions on the face and scalp, a small cut near the point of the chin, a deep injury inside the lower lip, and a compound ’ fracture of the right forearm. The right hand, wrist, and forearm up to the break showed signs of frostbite, and the left hand was similarly affected. There were also slight bruises at the left of the chin. In his opinion Carroll died from a fall causing concussion of the brain, the other injuries detailed—the ofte to his mouth possibly preventing eating—and from exposure. The drain on vitality caused by the fractured arm would have a material, if not a deciding, effect on his holding out. Ronald Gunn, an alpine guide employed by Sullivan Brothers, Fox Glacier, Weheka, said arrangements were made by Father Walsh for a tripover the Copland Pass to the Hermitage before February 8. _ Carroll came from Greymouth to join the party. Father Walsh did not intend to make the return trip. The party reached the Hermitage on the morning of February 10, and he and Carroll left on their return journey on tne same morning. They spent that night at the de la Beche Hut. Next morning they left at 5.30 a.m. . for the Aimer, Hut on the West Coast side of the alps, by way of Graham s Saddle. They travelled up the Rudolf Glacier, and were descending a snowy slope not far from the saddle, roped together and using ice-axes, when he realised Carroll had slipped. Just before he slipped Carroll was 20 feet above Gunn, and was not in his view all the time, as he was behind Gunn, syho was leading and looking down. Carroll slipped to about 30 feet below him, and Gunn went back to recover* the axe which Carroll had lost in attempting to stop himself. The rope was not tied. He was handing Carroll the axe when he also slipped, and because he held the two axes in his hands he could not quickly anchor himself. He fell and dragged Carroll with him. He thought at the time that he fell 80 feet over an old snow cliff, but he could not be definite about the height. It was | a considerable fall, and they both lahded on a platform about five yards wide. Face Cut by Glass Gunn was unconscious after the fall and regained consciousness about 6 p.m., approximately three hours later. He found he was lying face downwards on the snow, with the glass front of his goggles stuck in the side of his left eye. Carroll was on his back a few feet to the right, with his right arm obviously broken. _ It had been bleeding, and bled again later. He wakened Carroll and spoke with him. They decided to get into the schrund for the night. He got Carroll, who complained of the pain in his arm, to eat some raisins, and then they made themselves comfortable for the night. They had plenty of food, of which Carroll ate some. They were both wet through, as it had been raining and snowing since 11.30 a.m. Carroll had some sleep and Gunn remained awake.

In the morning the weather was still misty. Carroll woke just after daylight, and ate some raisins, but would eat nothing else. He could not stand up, and became a bit wandering in his speech. Carroll was lying down, and Gunn could not get him on his feet, although he tried to lift him. The effort took a few minutes. Eventually Carroll lay back and died about 8 a.m. (on the Saturday). The weather did not improve enough to allow Gunn to got away without his ice-axe. and he stayed in the schrund with the body until 5.30 a.m. on the Monday. He "reached the de la Beche Hut about 4 p.m.. and spent the next four days alone in the hut. He could not leave because of his frostbitten feet. A party arrived there at 4.30 p.m. on February 18, and assisted him to the Hermitage, which he reached nearly 12 hours later. At the schrund both his feet and hands were frostbitten, and he had difficulty in getting about. In answer to the Coroner, Gunn said he had been a guide for eight months, and had climbing experience in the Arthur's Pass, Wataroa, and Franz Josef regions. He had not previously crossed Graham's Saddle from east to west. If he had got over the saddle he was quite familiar with the route on the west side. He had been on the saddle only once from the west side, but had often been up to the Mackay Rocks. The arrangements made for the trip were that Gunn should lead the party, and act as guide for Carroll on the return. Any decision as to route and advisability of setting out

lay with him. He made no inquiries about the route before leaving the Hermitage. He had been told by a friend who climbed through at Christmas about the route. The information given by Carroll, who got it from a friend in Greymouth, was to bear to the right on the high section of the Rudolf glacier. The route to the saddle was obviously up the glacier, Gunn continued. and at its top there was a choice of routes to the saddle, according to the roughness of the glacier. In the event of a first trip the choice of route would be made at the high section of the glacier. When they left the de la Beche Hut they followed up the Rudolf glacier. They went to near the top. and then branched to the right over a snow slope, to get round a rough section. They were on this slope, after 11 a-m-, when the weather broke. Mist came over, followed by rain, and the weather remained bad intermittently until the middle of the night before Gunn left the schrund. They knew when they were on the slope that they were getting too far to the right but in the bad weather the only snow bridges they could find led that way. They had reached the main divide to the right of Graham Saddle about 12.30. ' . The weather swung round, ana m the poor visibility they were until 3 p.m. trying in several directions to find Graham's Saddle. A lot of the time was spent sheltering under ridges. The fall occurred about 3 psa. Party Lost In answer to the Coroner, Gunn said it- was correct that they were lost. within a certain compass. In reply to a further question, Gunn said he had only about 10 feet to go back to pick up Carroll's axe. The accident happened on the snow slope at the head of the Ranfurly glacier. When they set out from the de le Beche Hut, on February 11. the weather was clear, and the mountains were free of cloud, but there was a haze about 14.000 ft. He agreed with Guide Bowie that it was obvious that the weather was about to change that day, but in Gunn's opinion that would not happen until about 2 p.m. It changed about 11 a.m.. just after they left the Rudolf glacier. He and Carroll discussed staying at the hut. but decided to go on. and expected to reached the Mackav Recks on the west side before the weather broke. They would have had no difficulty on the west side. When the weather broke they discussed returning, but decided thev were so close to Grahams Saddle that they could make it without difficulty. The decisions ulumatelv rested with him, out he ana Carroll had been out so often together the decisions were more or less mutual. Technically, both the decision to go on in the morning and when the weather broke, rested on him as the leader. Gunn said he aud Carroll were about equal in experience in chmoin<* Carroll was captain of the West Coast Alpine Club, but was not _ a member of the New Zealand Alpine Club. Gunn invited to make observations on the 'accident by the Coroner, said the accident was definitely the C3use of Carroll's death, as Carroll was always very fit, and had pride in keeping himself so. Whether Guide Bowie's criticisms were correct or not it was an accident that could have happened in fine weather or at any time. He had told Guide Bowie what he thought the most suitable route by which to bring in the body, and Guide Bowie was evidently under the impression that that was the route they toes on the way out. Carrol: aid ne dia not turn to the right just after leaving the hut. His route back was tna. which Guide Bowie had described as the one they took on their way to Graham's Saddle. Mr L. Mahan assisted the Coroner as an expert. '