Adventurers press on

Press, 12 July 1988, Page 6

Adventurers press on

PA Wellington The mountaineer, Graeme Dingle, and six young offenders travelling with him on The Journey left , Waiouru yesterday morning for the Turoa ski-field at the base of Mount Ruapehu. They were preparing for the greatest challenge of their gruelling monthlong journey — to raise funds for Telethon — going over the top of Ruapehu, the North Island’s highest mountain.

The expedition’s leader,

Mr Greg Brosnan, an instructor from the Outdoor Pursuit Centre, said the team “have a fair amount of respect for the mountain and as the weather forecast is not favourable, the assault on the summit could be difficult.”

He said the safety of the group would rest on two factors. First they had learnt to work well as a team, helping each other to work through difficulties and they would be drawing heavily on the experience gained in the Ruahine Ranges last

The team traversed the Ruahines in five days, fighting gale-force headwinds, freezing conditions, rugged terrain and deep snow. Part of their journey has also involved battling heavy seas in kayaks while crossing Cook Strait. “We’re confident we’ll reach the summit of Ruapehu safely in spite of the fact that most of the team had not seen snow before they went into the Ruahines last week.”

A spokesperson for the

team said unfortunately one of the original six young offenders would not attempt the Ruapehu climb. Richard Carlton, of Auckland, at 19, one of the youngest of the team, had withdrawn from the project. The leader, Greg Brosnan, said the journey had been tough.

“ It’s not a cake-walk. This young man was pretty upset about dropping out but he’d given the project 100 per cent effort and that’s all we have ever expected.”