A ‘foolish’ venture

Press, 21 December 1976, Page 3

A ‘foolish’ venture

Staff reporter Timaru A youth suffering from an infection of his right foot, on which there was also an ulcer, “foolishly” ventured into the mountains three days ago, creating a situation that might well have ended tragically, according to the chief ranger at Mount Cook National Park headquarters (Mr B. W. Thomas). The climber, Peter Arthur Lunn, aged 17, left park headquarters about three days ago for the Three Johns Hut (6700 ft from four to six hours from park headquarters, at the head of the Mueller Glacier. “Mr Lunn and his compan-

ions left the Three Johns Hut at 7 p.m. on Sunday be- i cause they feared they would i perish on the Mueller ’ Glacier,” said Mr Thomas. i “They reached the Mueller i

Hut (6000 ft at the end of the Mueller Ridge below Mount Ollivier late on Sunday night.” About that time, however, three others in the boy’s party had arrived back at Park Headquarters, with the news that Mr Lunn had collapsed . on the Mueller Glacier. This caused Mr Thomas to mount a major search party of 32 men. This took most of

Sunday night, and until 5 a.m. on Monday.

Then, early on Monday morning, the injured man’s other companion walked out, with news that Mr Lunn was safe, but in a distressed condition, in the Mueller Hut.

A private helicopter from Ashburton, piloted by Mr K. Kingsbury, tried to'reach the injured man yesterday morning, but conditions were very bad, and there was cloud round the Mueller Hut. Mr Lunn had to walk out, after being treated by Dr S. Mulvaney, who walked in to the hut. “I have told him (Mr

Lunn) he was a fool for going into the mountains, and that he should have sought medical attention. I was most unhappy about the entire incident,” said Mr Thomas.

“Conditions were marginal, and his foolish actions could have been a tragedy involving two men and the lives of the search party.” The weather on Sunday night was poor, with cold temperatures and snow to 6000 feet.