Skill And Judgment For Mountain Safety

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31139, 16 August 1966, Page 16

Skill And Judgment For Mountain Safety

Proficiency in standard techniques and the exercise of judgment in the mountains whether as a climber, skier, tramper or shooter were advocated last evening by speakers at the inaugural meeting of the Canterbury Mountain Safety Committee.

Fifty representatives of clubs embracing these activities, and secondary schools interested in mountain safety generally were present.

Two speakers appealed to two different age groups to play a more active part in mountain safety; one in the teaching of judgment to young people and the other in rescue.

Mr W. G. Croll, chairman of the Canterbury-Westland section of the New Zealand Alpine Club, traced the history of the development of standardised mountaincraft technique through courses attended by men experienced in different fields. Their consensus of opinion was adopted as being the best practice known at the time. “We are now moving a little further forward and thinking on what causes accidents,” Mr Croll said. “This is not as a result of recent tragic happenings but is something that has been going on for about two years. “We want to expand our activities and get the older and more experienced persons out into the hills, not just to teach technique but to teach judgment. We feel this is where instruction has fallen down until recently,” he said. FACE RESCUE An appeal to young climbers to offer their time for training in the highly specialised field of face rescue was made by Mr B. Hearfield. He said there was an increasing trend in New Zealand for face climbing and this resulted in the need for a rescue team trained in the use of modern rescue gear. “We are looking for a younger team which can be trained in face rescue. Membership of the team will provide a greater scope for climbing in this country than any other activity,” Mr Hearfield said. “This calls for a high degree of skill, fitness and com-

petence. Membership of the team will be the ultimate in climbing.”

Mr Hearfield said that although the whole purpose of the meeting was to minimise accidents, it was inevitable that they would occur. The weather in New Zealand alone was a contributing factor. In the alps particularly it could be as bad as anywhere in the world. SCHOOL PARTIES

Enthusiasm should be tempered with discretion, caution and restraint, said Mr J. E. Ede, liaison officer for the Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand and the National Monutain Safety Committee. He made particular mention of the activities of school parties in mountain regions under the guidance of inexperienced persons.

Mr Ede said that two such groups from two different Christchurch schools had undertaken hazardous ventures within a short time of the recent Mount Rolleston tragedy. Under the circumstances it was unfortunate that more schools were not represented at the meeting. “Although we in Christchurch are fortunate in being so close to Arthur’s Pass it means that within three hours a group can be up a valley in this area. Because the opportunity is there it means the group could soon get into trouble unless it had an experienced person there.” He said that for every fatal mountain accident there were about seven non-fatal ones, nearly all caused by an unsafe act or unsafe conditions. Investigation of accidents

showed that 92 per cent of them could have been avoided. GUIDE ADVENTURE “Our aim is not to check adventure but guide it in the right channels until it is blended with a bit of judgment. Fitness, technical knowledge and judgment, all three, are needed,” Mr Ede said.

Dr. W. R. Holmes, representing the Lions Club which has recently made a donation of £l5O to the Arthur’s Pass National Park Board for rescue equipment, said the club was interested in the matter of mountain rescue. “It could be said .that we represent the people who stay at home and worry,” Dr. Holmes said. “Anything we can do for the good towards the development and investigation of two-way radios and flares must be to the benefit of the rescuers.” Mr I. Gardiner, a member of the New Zealand Alpine Club and Canterbury Mountaineering Club, described investigations at present being carried out into the development of light-weight radio equipment for mountaineering. A irequency most suitable at all times under all conditions had been used, and a transistorised two-way radio weighing 31b had been built. He said the performance of the experimental radio had been found equal to that of the large one at present in use which was heavy and cumbersome. All that was now needed was financial backing.