Climbers’ skill praised

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32776, 29 November 1971, Page 3

Climbers’ skill praised

(From Our Own Reporter)

TIMARU, November 28.

The sense of responsibility shown by the two climbers who were compelled by very bad weather to “dig in” at an altitude of 10,000 ft, below the summit of Mount Sefton, and their skill of survival, were “tremendous,” said the chief ranger at Mount Cook National Park headquarters (Mr B. W. Thomas).

Both climbers are reported to be in a fairly comfortable condition in the Princess Margaret Hospital, where they are being treated for exposure and frostbite on their feet.

Hospital authorities would not permit them to be interviewed.

Mrs Helen Irwin, aged 28, of Mount Cook, and Mr M. McPhail, of Kimberley, British Columbia, spent more than four days in a snow cave after' encountering white-out conditions on the west side of the Main Divide, after an ascent on Monday of the east face of Mount Sefton (10,359 ft “The fact that they snowcaved at this height is an amazing feat,” Mr Thomas said.

A helicopter search party which assembled at 5 a.m. on Saturday, and which included Mrs Irwin’s husband, a senior park ranger, had crossed the Main Divide and was hovering over the Douglas neve, preparatory to landing

the field party, when Mr; Thomas was advised by radio from the Welcome Flat Hut that the missing climbers had reached the hut the night before and were safe and well. The call was made by Mr I. Blackmore, a ranger at Westiland National Park. Mr Thomas contacted the ■helicopter, which was diverted to the Welcome Flat hut to pick up Mrs Irwin and Mr McPhail, at 6.15 a.m. By 6.30 a.m., the two climbers —“obviously fatigued, and suffering from frostbite,” said Mr Thomas —were at park headquarters. Mr Thomas said he thought it advisable to have Mrs Irwin and Mr McPhail flown to Christchurch for treatment. “Mrs Irwin had frostbite on the toes, and Mr McPhail’s toes were also frostbitten,” said Mr Thomas.

Their decision to “stay put” below the summit of Mount Sefton had been an excellent move, he said. It was exactly what they should have done.

“They had down clothing, and were relatively warm,

and they had conserved their food, but had not eaten for some time when they reached the Welcome Flat hut at 10 p.m. on Friday,” he said. “While they were in the snow cave, they had to break the shelter open because they were suffocating during the night. It was snowing extensively during the time they were dug in,” Mr Thomas said. Air search Mr Thomas described the “sense of frustration and helplessness” the two climbers experienced on Thursday evening when they saw the search aircraft. “The snow was in such poor condition that they were unable to move,” he said.

Disappointment had also been felt by the searchers, as at that stage turbulent winds at high altitudes had limited the scope of the searching ski-plane, which was concen-

trating on the west .side of the Main Divide. Mr Thomas said that Mrs Irwin had commented on the skill of Mr McPhail (who is in his twenties) in holding the party together for such a long period. “The ascent on the east face was a great feat in itself, and their tenuous foothold on the mountain derived from their strength and common sense,” Mr Thomas said.