ACCIDENT IN MOUNTAINS

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25737, 24 February 1949, Page 4

ACCIDENT IN MOUNTAINS

Man Aged 60 Falls

100 Feet

NIGHT SPENT IN OPEN

From Our Own Reporter TIMARU, February 23. When he missed his footing and fell 100 feet down a steep rock slope near the Hooker Hut in the Mount Cook region about 7.15 last evening, James Butcher, aged 60, of Dasent street, Karori, Wellington, a member of a party of seven, was knocked unconscious and was still unconscious when he was brought into the Hooker Hut to-day after spending the night in the open. Heavy rain in the mountains is preventing a rescue party from bringing him back to the Hermitage. The party, consisting of seven members of the Tararua Tramping Club, Wellington, Misses V. Hitchmar and I. Murison, and Messrs R. J. Whittaker (leader), M. Bishop. R. Braithwaite. V. R. McCreadie, and Butcher, all of Wellington, left the Douglas Rock hut in the Copland Valley at 5.30 a.m. yesterday, intending to cross the Copland Pass, from west to east. When the accident occurred at 7.15 p.m., the party had successfully crossed the pass, and was down on the .east side about half an hour’s travelling time of the Hooker hut.

Fall Down Rock Face The party was lowering its packs by rope down a rock bluff before coming down, when Mr Butcher stepped to one side, lost his footing, and fell over a steep 100-foot rock face. The remainder of the party immediately descended to the foot, where they found Mi' Butcher unconscious. They were unable to revive him. Leaving the rest of the party (said to be well equipped with sleepingbags and two tents) to make Mr Butcher as comfortable as possible, and perhaus shift him to the Hooker Hut, Mr Whittaker, as leader of the party, set out for the Hermitage, which he reached at 10 o’clock last night. , f At the time of the accident it was raining heavily, and when a relief party, including Chief Guide A. R. M. Bowie. Guides H. Ashurst and M. Douglas, and Mr A. Williams, a medical student of Timaru, set out, they were forced to return at 2 a.m. because the creeks in the Hooker Valley were impassable. At (lawn to-day the same party and M. Burke, a trainee-guide. • left the Hermitage, with the intention of reaching the scene by crossing the foot of Mount Wakefield and moving over the Hooker glacier, to avoid the swollen creeks. By this difficult route it was expected that the journey to the Hooker Hut would take about four hours.

* Still Unconscious At 3 p.m. When the two women members of the party and Guides Douglas and Burke returned to the Hermitage at 3 g’clock this afternoon they brought word that Mr Butchex' had been brought unconscious to the Hooker Hut to-day by the rescue party. The five members of the Tararua party had been unable to move him last evening but had rigged up a tent for his protection. According to the report Mr Butcher did not appear to have any broken bones, but was suffering from head injuries. On medical advice it is proposed to bring Mr Butcher out at the earliest opportunity. Chief Guide Bowie had requested that at the first signs of the weather breaking more men should be sent to assist with the recovery. As a result of arrangements made by Mr L Dennis, manager of the Hermitage, it is expected that four men with mountaineering experience, and Constable C. Mclntosh, from Lake Pukaki, will reach the-. Hermitage this evening. Because the road between Pukaki and the Hermitage is flooded at several points the party will travel by truck to the Twins, will be carried across the stream by bulldozer, then on toy horses, provided by the Glentanner station, to the Worrylirfe, where they will be met by a vehicle from the Hermitage. Mr Dennis has also requested the resident engineer at Lake Pukaki (Mr E. D. Kalaugher) that the read be made serviceable as soon as possible. If the weather is favourable the party from Pukaki will leave the Hermitage at dawn tomorrow.

It is understood that Mr Butcher has had a long association with tramping clubs but little alpine experience. Yesterday’s mishap occurred near the place where three young women died m a blizzard last year.