Tongariro Alpine Crossing - Search and Rescue

At about 11:30am on Saturday the 28th of April 2012, Police received an emergency call regarding a party of 16 people who were in difficulty on the summit of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

The group had been dropped off earlier in the day at the Mangatepopo car park by Tongariro Alpine Shuttles, a Turangi based transport operator, with the intention of walking the 19 kilometre track to their waiting vehicles at Ketetahi.

Weather conditions in the area were hazardous with poor visibility, rain, strong winds and very cold temperatures.

The group were inexperienced and lightly clad, some wearing shorts, others wearing jeans and none had any alpine clothing.

The group were informed by the transport operator that the weather would improve and that they would be fine.

However by the time they reached the summit of Tongariro the weather had not improved and the group were soaked to the skin and many of them were in the early stages of hyperthermia.

Two other trampers came across the group and provided warm clothing to the worst affected before helping them down to South Crater where a Department of Conservation hut warden had been dispatched to assist.

Two search and rescue teams from RARO (Ruapehu Alpine Rescue Organisation) met the group near Soda Springs and provided them with food, drink and warm dry clothing and led them back to Mangatepopo car park where they were treated by three waiting ambulances.

Two females from the group were subsequently transported to Taupo hospital for further treatment.

This occurred on a day when other transport operators in the area had refused to deliver clients to the start of the crossing because of the hazardous weather conditions. Police are disappointed that Tongariro Alpine Shuttles did not take a similar approach and will discuss this with the operator.

Inspector Steve Mastrovich said that encouraging ill~prepared and under~equipped people to go into an alpine environment is irresponsible and contrary to the practices of the local tourism operators who are members of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing users group.

Police, Ambulance staff and RARO are also praising the actions of the two trampers who assisted the group initially. If it was not for their actions and assistance the outcome may have been different.

Police would also like to take this opportunity to remind people venturing into the outdoors that the winter season is nearly upon us and that means a dramatic drop in temperatures especially in alpine environments. Ensure you have the correct equipment for the environment and always prepare for the worst weather.

If in doubt people are urged to contact the local Department of Conservation visitors centre for weather and track updates before venturing into the area.