DOC's new Tongariro Crossing Advisories
Original post
I don't think anyone's posted about this here, yet: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/402067/stop-doc-launches-new-warnings-on-tongariro-alpine-crossing-amid-concerns
I guess it's a good thing if it helps communicate advice to the thousands of people in a way that gets through, but...
>The bad weather advisories will be triggered when wind chill reaches minus 10 degrees or colder on a fine day, zero or less when there's any rain or snow, if severe weather warning is issued for the national park, when wind speeds reach above 65 kilometres an hour or above 50 kilometres an hour when more than 10 millimetres of rain is predicted during a six-hour period.
...when it comes to the whole trigger thing, I sometimes wonder if this transition to a warning system based on metrics creates an excuse to not bother so much with people and expertise. I'm sure many of those there now are great, but it means there's less of an obligation for future tour companies and DOC to keep expertise on the ground, let alone to stress that people attempting the crossing should have a clue of what they're doing.
If and when a tragedy happens, everyone in the chain doesn't get quizzed on whether they understood the advice they were giving, or made sensible decisions about what was happening in front of them. Instead, they get quizzed on whether they followed the rules of the process, and checked the correct forecast and put the signs out at the right times: blaming them if they didn't and exonerating them if they did. It's delegating a huge amount of responsibility from those nearest the situation into the hands of a few forecasters in a building in Wellington. They're expected to be right every single time about something they're not even directly connected with.
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27 comments
could happen up the mangatepopo valley
Im sure a push chair has been taken over. Wheelchair with a few helpers isnt much harder
It’s a pretty easy walk, I’ve done it three times including once in the dark under a full moon. Don’t think it’s ever taken me more than 5 hours. It’s not the track or the weather, it’s irresponsible tourism operators who want their money. It’s fucked up to take the money of ignorant people and drop them into dangerous conditions without them truly understanding. Someone had to do something.
So the bus companies are responsible for the ignorance/stupidity of their clients? Or to put it more diolomatically have a responsability to assess their skills & preparedness?
So Fiordland adventure co needs to assess my skills & preparedness before agreeing to drop me west of Lake Te Anau?
So Intercity need to assess my skulls & preparedness before dropping me at the Whataroa roadend?
Even with years of tramping under my belt I find it hard to judge other peoples abilities. I just don't think we can expect a trandport / tourusm operator to do that in the brief contact time they have with their 52 clients.
And being selfish I don't want them refusing me service on the basis of their assessment.
How many times have I been told to turn back by others on the track or at the roadend ... adament that they know the conditions are beyond my ability to deal with / respond to safely?
the tongariro crossing is widely advertised to backpacking tourists and thats what it attracts, thousands and thousands of them. its the sheer number of the inexperienced people that makes it an issue .. the shuttles go trawling to accommodation specifically to take people to that specific track... large no's dressed in street wear, all the people on the shuttle are going to that track..
there comes a point when there's that many people at risk that something has to be done to try and mitigate the risk..
i'm not for a nanny state but the crossing has been a major disaster waiting to happen...
its such a completely exposed track, and a lot of people dont have a clue how severe the weather can get.
"It’s a pretty easy walk, I’ve done it three times including once in the dark under a full moon. Don’t think it’s ever taken me more than 5 hours. It’s not the track or the weather,"
What we consider easy would not be considered easy by someone that thinks the railway station is a long way but people that think that still attempt this crossing
We know how to dress for pretty much any weather but what happens to damsell in distress (and high heels plus mini skirt and nought else) get on when it starts snowing and the wind is blowing the mini into her face (or at least it would be if it was that long) and its now 2 hours to either end.
How do tourists who are experienced trampers in their home tropical countries but have never experienced single didgit temperatures let alone snow get on.
Its not just the tourist companies responsibility. We know to check out what is ahead. They need to do the same. How would we get on climbing say Mt Mayon
we're a south pacific island, how hard can it be here?
a lot of people just switch off on holiday and trust in whoever is taking them wherever...
It would be very easy to regulate the Tongariro Crossing, just like the great walks are regulated. Just like you need license to fish, you place resteictions on the track like any other tourist track. Build a small DOC facility at the car park and one emergency shelter up above the old devils staircase area. Operators must obtain a permit to shuttle people, that permit will have conditions, they’ll have no choice but to comply. Easy.
Great Walks aren't restricted entry. It's a combination of camping restrictions and hut booking spaces which throttles the flow of visitors. If you wanted to run the thing without stopping, as some do with some of the walks, it's completely lawful.
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| Forum | The campfire |
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| Started by | izogi |
| On | 2 November 2019 |
| Replies | 26 |
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