Another missing tramper in Tararuas

i was thinking further north, up dunsas way

I don't know what navigation aids or skills he has, but Arete Bivvy is very hard to find in the clagg if hes headed back that way. I've spent over 30 minutes on two occasions in heavy cloud trying to locate it. I would have thought he'd have realised he had past the Bivvy on the ascent up to the Arete ridge.

he could have been heading back to tematawai and gone in the wrong direction along the ridge...

updated https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/113342216/family-and-searchers-remaining-resolute-but-realistic-in-search-for-missing-tararua-ranges-tramper

How do we know he filled in the Matawai hut book? The only source I can find is here.

@Ian_H: > Of course, a group got into trouble trying to do exactly the same trip, similar time of year in late April 1933. They ended up walking out the entire length of the Waiohine under their own steam, took them two weeks, I don't think they even had a tent or more than two days food with them: http://www.windy.gen.nz/index.php/archives/498 I was about to point this one out just before I read your comment. They were aiming to race through in the space of a day (two at most), with food to match, but lost two hours of daylight when Bert O'Keefe slipped on the Broken Axe Pinnacles and gashed his head, so they had to retreat to the bush-line to camp. Then they were trapped in a storm and from then on slowly bumbled their way through un-tracked valley areas for which they hadn't brought a map, eventually stumbling their way out two weeks later into members of the Carterton Tramping Club at Waiohine Gorge. It's one of the most famous incidents in NZ SAR history, but probably more because it was the effective beginning of modern LandSAR and a catalyst to figuring out how to make it more effective. The chances aren't good, but without evidence we still can't be absolutely certain that he's not out there surviving somewhere.

but back then they didnt have helicopters that would come out and look for them during a break in the weather... theres more track and hut options now than there was then to find your way out.

"How do we know he filled in the Matawai hut book? The only source I can find is here." Got it from Search Controller, and seen photo of the hut book entry. recorded his hut pass number etc also Don't know what route he took to get there, could have bypassed all huts if came via Gable End Few search parties are in the Arete stm catchment right now

> back then they didnt have helicopters that would come out and look for them during a break in the weather No they didn't, but they still survived 2 weeks.

The helicopters reduce the chances of NOT being found, and do it quicker. The Sutch party would probably have been found very quick, they were mobile, in a valley and could have made themselves visible, at various times. And search teams would have got into the area lots quicker. Ditto with this search, you'd expect. If he is mobile. Unless he is out of the search area. eg; The runner doing the Baldy-Jumbo circuit and ended up in Dorset ck, Mid Waiohine outran the search teams. But still got caught up with, eventually.