Two dead in the Tararuas

There's plenty of info so far completely missing: who they were, what their stated intentions were, their skills, what clothing, other equipment, and food they had, and whatever evidence is available of where they actually went and when. Hopefully that knowledge will be released in time so there's no need to speculate.

There's one name: Michael Stepura, 4 years in NZ, originally from the Ukraine, employed by Xero. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11753514

The other victim was Belarusian. You wouldn't think people from that part of the world would be caught out by cold. Then again that area is pancake flat, so maybe not much mountain (and the attendant high wind) experience?

It's spring... if you have preconceived ideas about spring weather being mild and go out equipped for those conditions, your trip may not go well if the weather doesnt fit your expectations

It's amazing the people you meet on multi-dayers that don't even know the weather forecast !!

if you just read the local town forecast and not the mountain forecast, then it can be very deceiving since the two can vary a great deal..... its good that the metservice mountain forecast uses windchill so it gives a better idea of how cold it will actually be. although i've found it to be inconsistent in the forecast for similar locations and elevations.

Looks like they were from around where I live one has two boys at my boys school. Sad.

Very very sad. Sad for the young men who don't get to live. Sad for their families. Sad for the poor person who found one of them on the track - not something I would like to come across in the hills.

A Wairarapa school teacher, who was tramping with students the same weekend as the Tararua tragedy, says “the whole thing is bizarre”. http://times-age.co.nz/want-answers-tramper-says/

from one of the comments "It was a very different picture on the tops on the Mid-western side of the range. We were on the Main Range doing a day loop of the Tararua Peaks from Otaki Forks. On dropping off Mangahuka onto the ridge leading E-W to Bridge Peak we copped the full force of the wind and were soon into the bulk of our gear as our hands were numb from cold within minutes. This section of ridge runs parallel to the Neill-Winchcombe Ridge which the men were apparently on earlier in the day. It would have been a cold and exposed climb to Hector on a very committes route. I agree that all thoughts should be with the family, this is an absolute tragedy, I’m gutted for them. I also understand Joe’s questions as they are ones that many in the mountain community share, we should always learn from these tragedies. Very sad." Probably the best idea on what happened