DEATH IN CRATER LAKE

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 200, 21 May 1936, Page 11

DEATH IN CRATER LAKE

Tragedy on Mt. Ruapehu

SOLICITOR SLIPS ON ICE SLOPE Plunges 300 Feet Into Water COMPANIONS UNABLE TO HELP Body Not Recovered Dominion Special Service. Auckland, May 20. While climbing on Mount Ruapehu this morning, Mr. James Alexander Gordon, solicitor, of Tanmarunui, slipped on the ice and fell nearly 300 feet into the crater lake. He managed to reach a rock at one side of the lake, but disappeared after clinging to it for nearly three hours. A rescue party made determined efforts to recover the body, which could be seen floating in the water, but could not reach the edge of the Jake, as the way was barred by sheer walls of ko formed during the recent eruption. The task was abandoned late in the afternoon, and another attempt will bo made early to-morrow morning. The climbing party of which Mr. Gordon was a member set out from the Chateau early in the morning with the intention of making a traverse of Bare-te-tni-Tonga, one of the peaks surrounding the crater lake. There were five adults and three boys in the party, two being sons of Mr. Gordon on holiday from Christ’s College, Christchurch, and although there were no guides most of the men bad had previous climbing experience.

Shortly before 11.30 a.m. the climbers reached the foot of the glacier near the peak and had lunch. As they were beginning their climb toward the head of the glacier it was discovered that the ice was so slippery as to make further progress dangerous, and it was decided to turn back. The party bad gone only 10 or 12 yards from the place where they had had lunch when Mr. Gordon slipped on the glassy surface and began to slide down the slope toward the lake. Gathering speed every moment, his companions could do nothing and had to watch him sliding nearly 200 ft. to the edge of the ice cliff, almost 300 ft. above the waters of the lake. From their position the rest of the party were unable to see .Mr. Gordon, so they went round to the left of the erater and discovered that no was elibging to a rock. They called out to him, but received no reply. It was impossible to descend to the edge of the lake and the climbers’ bad to wait while one of the party went for help. Before- a rescue party arrived, however, Mr. Gordon had disappeared. He was still alive at 2 o'clock, for he called out then to his watching friends that he could not hold out much longer. The chief guide at the Chateau, Mr. C. Risberg, was at the Ruapehu Ski Club’s new hut at the foot of Whakapara glacier when one of the party came running down the slope with the news of the tragedy. Mr. Risberg sent some of the visitors back to the Chateau with a message asking two of the guides to bring ropes and a stretcher, and taking a rope proceeded up Io the crater lake. When he arrived shortly before 3 o’clock the libdy of Mr. Gordon could be distinctly seen Abating on the lake.

Air. Rosberg first of all tried to get to tho left of the lake near the southeastern corner, but was checked by an absolutely sheer wall of ice which <t would have been suicidal to attempt to cross. He went back, and with the assistance of the oilier guides tried tho western wall of the lake, but the changes wrought by the recent eruption checked the descent. Steps were cut for 100 yards down the slope, but them another slicer wall of ice confronted the rescuers. Air. Risberg realised that the only way in which to obtain a suitable place to reach the edge of the lake would be by walking round Bare-Te-Tai-Tonga, an das it was then nearly 4 o’clock the rescue-attempt was Abandoned.