ALPINE TRAGEDY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22352, 25 February 1936, Page 15

ALPINE TRAGEDY

CLIMBER'S FATAL FALL EVIDENCE AT INQUEST The inquest into the death of Archibald John Dobbie, aged 25 years, of lnvercargill, who was killed through falling down Mount Belle, in the Hollyford" district, on January 26, was concluded in Dunedin recently before Mr. W. H. Freeman, S.M. After hearing further evidence concerning the fatality by two Dunedin members of the party, the coroner delivered a verdict of accidental death. Edward Owen Dawson, a medical student at the University of Otago, said that, accompanied by John Borrie, he visited a hut in the Homer Valley on January 25, and there met Dobbie. It was arranged that the three of them should climb Mount Belle, a peak of approximately 6000 feet, the next day. .Before leaving Dobbie explained that he had not done any climbing for about three years, and was not in the best of trim. Witness took the lead at the start of the climb, and he was followed by Borrie, Dobbie, at his own request, being last. The three climbers wore well equipped, and about 12.15 p.m. they started to ascend a slope covered with snowgrass. At approximately 100 feet up, witness heard a rustling behind him. He looked round and saw Dobbie rolling down the face of the slope. He also heard Dobbie call out, and then lie disappeared. Witness and Borrie hurried down the mountainside, and about 301't. lower down they found Dobbie's mo axe wedged tightly in tlie snowgrass. Witness added that the fact that Dobbie's ice axe was found about 30ft. below the spot where he slipped suggested that he had used it in an attempt to break his fall, but owing to the sling breaking it proved useless. Replying to a question, witness said that Mount Belle was not considered a difficult climb. He was of the opinion that Dobbie's handhold gave way or his band became cramped, causing him to fall. John Borrie, a medical student, and the third member of the party, corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. He added that on the way up the slope Dobbie had mentioned to him that his hands were feeling the strain. John William Aitkcn, a vice-pre-sident of the New Zealand Alpine Club, of which Dobbie was a member, said he had had about 20 years' experience in mountaineering, and he knew tbo Hollyford district quite well. He considered that the members of the party wero well equipped for the climb.