ADVICE TO CLIMBERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 128, 26 November 1937, Page 5

ADVICE TO CLIMBERS

STORMS ON MOUNTAINS

LIGHTNING DANGER

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to the "Evening Post/) NEW PLYMOUTH, This Day.

What was considered an interesting alpine phenomenon on Mount Egmont recently was in fact a narrow escape from death, said an experienced mountaineer today. He was referring, to the occasion on which thirteen Taranaki Alpine Club'members, when near the summit of Mount Egmont, had held their ice axes in the air. Experienced mountaineers under similar circumstances would have risked .everything to rid,themselves.of the axes.

Some years .ago, he said, a mountaineer party was found dead on Mount Cook and no cause could 1 at- first be advanced as the members were well clothed and well provided with food. It was not until it was remembered that a severe thunderstorm had occurred on the mountain that the probable cause of death was realised. Suspicions were .confirmed,'upon*'inquiries being sent, at alpine resorts throughout the world, and advice was received in connection with thunderstorms on mountains should ice axes whistle, as they did to the. diversion of the Mount Egmont party. The climbers had been intrigued by a high-pitched whistling shortly before the breaking of a severe thunderstorm. Members of the party apparently did not realise that the phenomenon was a menace and that they were in imminent danger of■> being struck by lightning, he said., They were most fortunate that they escaped injury and even death. In similar circumstances mountaineers: should tie-- the axes to ropes and drag them so that they are as far away as possible. This action should be taken even if • it■• meant a certain amount of risk on the ice slopes. -■- r-. ■■'*. :. •': v;1' *:* ■ '■■ - *