MOUNTAIN TRAGEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22020, 1 August 1933, Page 8

MOUNTAIN TRAGEDY

DUNEDIN STUDENT MISSING CAUGHT IN SNOW SLIDE (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 31. Grave anxiety is felt for the safety of Samuel Edgar Russell, a Teachers' Training College student, who was missed from "a party which attempted to climb Avalanche Peak at Arthur's Pass yesterday. He may have been caught in a snow slide which injured two of the others, but his absence was not noticed until the party was returning to the township. The party, which included a number of Canterbury College students and members of the Otago University debating team, found the trip up the peak strenuous, and only 18 proceeded higher than the bush line. It is nofc yet established whether Russell climbed the peak, as shortly after the bush line was passed several members of the party were caught in a four feet deep snow slide, which broke without warning, crashing 200 feet. Two of the party —W. S. Gilkison, of Dunedin (son of Mr Robert Gilkison), cut on the head, and W. Hurtshouse, a leg abrasion—received slight injuries. By the time the party reached Springfield on the return trip it was made certain that Russell was not on the train, and eix men returned to Arthur's Pass by motor lorry. The search was continued thie morning by two parties.

It is feared that Russell waa buried under a enow slide. ,«■-

Up till 1 p.m. there' was no news of the missing climber, who is 23 years old. The search party had to turn back while on Avalanche Peak owing to the wretched weather this morning. They found a snow slide of 150 yards, 90 yards wide, and 8 feet thick. It is about 200 feet from the peak, and Russell, it is believed, is buried under this enow. The blizzard now raging, following on the frost, makes search impossible; in fact, Guide Coberger says the body may not be found until the thaw in the spring. More snow has fallen overnight. He eaid that the climb is a comparatively easy one, entailing an easy ascent to a lower peak and then another shorter climb to the main peak. About 40 or 50 people made the trip on the excursion train and set out for the climb, but by the time the party had reached the lower peak the numbers had dwindled to about 18. The final slope was being negotiated when it was overwhelmed by a snow slide. Most of the party were covered, but managed to extricate themselves, and were inclined to treat the occurrence lightly. Every effort was made to ensure that all the members were safe. It was then decided to return to the train, and the party broke up into several smaller groups, so that the loss of the missing man was not noticed for some time, each party thinking he was with another. When the loss was reported six men returned from Springfield \6 commence a search, but no further news has been heard. Though no guides, were with the party several members of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club were present, in- : eluding some of the most experienced climbers" in Canterbury. The party was welj equipped with ice-axes and other climbing gear,, and. was taking no chances. After searching at Avalanche Peak (Arthur's Pass) under blizzard conditions for the missing tramper, a party to-day had to give up hope of finding him alive. Until the weather at the Pass changes it will be impossible for the search to be continued, and the members of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club who were at the Pass returned to Christchurch to-day. There was some doubt, when Russell was first missed, whether he had actaully been with the party when the snow slide occurred, but it is now known that he was seen well above the snow line, and was therefore almost certainly among those who encountered the snow slide not far from the top. The party to-day made as thorough a search as was possible under the difficult conditions, but found no trace of Russell. During the night there had been a heavy fall of snow.

, Mr Russell, whose family resides in Dunedin, was educated at the Nelson Boys' College. Ho attended the Otago University for five years, and took hif> M.A. degree with honours in English and Latin, being capped at the last graduation ceremony. This year he has been attending the Christchurch Training Cpllege with a view to, entering the teaching profession. During the time he was in Dunedin he was a keen cricketer, and was a member of one of the Carisbrook Club's junior teams, and later of the University Second Grade team. He was also a member of the Otago University Debating Society, and was one of the most prominent debaters in that body.