MOUNTAIN CLIMBING DANGERS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10885, 25 February 1914, Page 4

MOUNTAIN CLIMBING DANGERS.

A DISASTER FEARED. Per Press Association. Christchurch, February 24. The Hon, R. Heaton Rhodes, Minister in charge of Tourists and Healtti Resorts, this afternoon received an urgent telegram from the Hermitage from Mr B. M. Wilson, general manager of the Tourist Department, on the way from the Hermitage to West Coast, via Copeland Pass, as foliows;— “Regret to inform you that I fear there has been a serious accident on Mt. Cook. A a English climber, Mr S. L, King, with Guides Thompson and Richmond, left on Friday afternoon to climb Mt, Cook from the Tasman side. They were seen on the summit at noon on Saturday by Messrs Turner and Deuniston, who were at Haast bivouac, and who were up on the glacier dome at 4 p.m. looking for them. Their steps down again wore picked up that evening by those climbing from tbe Hooker side of Mt. Cook—Mr Frient with Guides Conrad, Eave and Brass. This party followed the tracks until they were obliterated by a huge avalanche, which came off an overhanging ice-wall on the Linda Glacier, between the Silverhorn and Tieohelmau peaks. The glacier is very broken and if the party were caught they would- be swept into a crevasse and never seen again.. Trevor’s party reached the bivouac at about 3.30 a. m. where the Messrs Turner and Deuniston were proposing to start and on finding no trace of Mr King and his guides they became alarmed and reported on arrival at the Hermitage. Chief Guide Graham was with ns at Hooker hut la t night gcing to Copeland, when two guides came from the Hermitage with the news that Thompson’s party had not returned. Graham immediately returned to the Hermitage in dreadful weather and left at daylight with four guides and Conrad and Kane to search for the party,but neither he nor Kane hold ont any hope of finding the missing men.” It is expected that It will be two days before the search party returns.

The Hon. Rhodes has cabled the Alpine Club asking them to communicate with King’s people.. King is a well-known member of the English Alpine Club. Thomson is a West Coaster and was for> some years Graham’s first lieutenant, Kichmoud belonged to Willow Fridge. He was an exparienoed guide