Fatigued tramper airlifted from Tararuas

As a keen solo Tararua tramper, I get frustrated by the lack of detail in stories like this (below). His seventh day into a solo tramp, with multiple falls, cuts & hypothermia, but he was found near Jumbo, which is like a highway? And surely the weather wasn't too bad? Did he have adequate gear? A beacon? GPS? Could he navigate in cloud? Hard to learn any lessons from this reporting. If DOC could ever get out out of post-Cave Creek mode they might give us a debrief on their website. The FMC quarterly publication reports are great, but it takes too long.... A very cold, tired and injured Wellington tramper was airlifted today from the Tararua Ranges and taken to Wellington Hospital for treatment. The 45-year-old man was seven days into a solo tramp through the ranges when he became fatigued and hypothermic, Westpac Rescue Helicopter spokesman Dave Greenberg said. The tramper suffered cuts all over his lower body from multiple falls. "The man was found by two other trampers near Jumbo Hut and they raised the alarm with 111." The helicopter, with a Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic on-board, reached the injured man about 11.45am. The man was flown to Wellington Hospital where he was treated for his injuries and then discharged, Mr Greenberg said. NZPA 12/12/2010