Two dead in the Tararuas
Original post
I'm not sure what's happened here, but it's sad news nonetheless.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/318598/two-trampers-found-dead-in-tararua-forest-park
It sounds as if it was a weekender somehow gone wrong, apparently from Waiohine Gorge (west of Greytown/Carterton) towards Alpha Hut and back.
what was the weather like there over the weekend?
A couple of reports are suggesting hypothermia. One reported the weather as being moderately windy over the weekend (40kmph rising to 60kmph) with the temp dropping to 4 overnight but no rain. No mention of if they were heading in or or out from Alpha hut. Hardly any of that track is out of the bush.
MetService forecaster, Allister Gorman, said it had been a typical November night.
"The Tararua Ranges is a large area but it wasn't especially cold.
"Masterton got down to 4 C, and our station at the top of Rimutaka Hill Rd got down to 8.5 C, so it may have been somewhere between 3-6 C.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/86710043/two-trampers-found-dead-in-tararua-forest-park
I think it would have been slightly colder than that, but Alpha Hut isn't even above the bush line! (although the track they took is pretty exposed at places).
Weather was good but it had been ugly all the preceding week and of course unchecked since the earthquake.
Most of the obvious routes mean crossing the Turenekau river. Thats a nasty river in flood
very weird.
was a bit of wind up high, I think, going by the cloud
I was thinking maybe if they got soaked in the Tauherenikau on the way back, and exhausted climbing Cone, maybe the wind could've got them if they were in unsuitable clothing. But the logical thing to do after an unintentional soaking in that direction would be to dry out in Cone Hut.
The flow meter doesn't seem to suggest the Tauherenikau as being in any serious flood over the weekend, so it also doesn't seem as if they'd have been blocked from returning after a dodgy crossing. http://graphs.gw.govt.nz/?siteName=Tauherenikau%20at%20Gorge&dataSource=Flow
Hopefully more's released soon. Looking at facebook the tinfoil hat groups are already suggesting it's somehow 1080 related! (ugh)
From memory the river is quite rocky above Tutawai and has a lot of deepish holes. Any colour in the water and a foot wrong and its a short exciting trip to Smiths creek.
Of course knowing where they were found would save a lot of speculation
Condolences to everyone that knew them
Izogi, got a link to the 1080 FB page please?
Looks like it was removed, but the replies are still there
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1761433147413887/
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| Forum | The campfire |
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| Started by | izogi |
| On | 21 November 2016 |
| Replies | 84 |
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