Mountain Safety Council Reminds Trampers to Follow Code
Mountain Safety Council Reminds Tongariro Trampers
to Follow Outdoor Safety Code
Following
four separate incidents in Tongariro National Park, the
Mountain Safety Council is urging all visitors to the area
to plan and prepare for a safe adventure and carry a form of
emergency communication.
Mountain Safety Council
spokesperson, Andrea Corrigan said the Tongariro Crossing is
commonly regarded as one of the best day tramps in the
world, but with some parts of the track still closed since
last year’s volcanic eruptions, more people have been
using the alternative route of Mt Ngauruhoe.
Extra
care should be taken if choosing this route to the summit as
it’s easy to dislodge loose rocks and debris, which could
fall on people below.
‘We are encouraging people
to get out there and enjoy all that the park has to offer,
but taking a few simple precautions and knowing your limits,
especially when traversing steep and tricky terrain, is
essential to enjoying it safely,’ said Ms
Corrigan.
‘New Zealand’s Outdoor Safety Code
should be the starting point for any trip into the
outdoors.’
‘The five simple rules provide
guidance on how to plan, prepare and act in the outdoors and
are applicable to all land-based activities whether it’s a
short walk in the bush, a day adventure mountain biking or
hunting or a longer multi-day mountain adventure.’
‘If the worst does happen, and a serious
incident occurs, then having the means to raise the alert
and summon emergency assistance can be
crucial.’
The Mountain Safety Council recommends
carrying a form of emergency communication such as a
personal locator beacon (PLB) because cell phone coverage is
not guaranteed, and cannot be relied upon in remote areas.
The Mountain Safety Council provides free outdoor
safety information and resources via their website and also
run outdoor courses covering topics such as bushcraft,
survival, risk management, river safety and outdoor first
aid to help people get the most out of their outdoors
activities.
The New Zealand Outdoor Safety
Code:
1. Plan your trip
Seek local knowledge and plan the route you
will take and the amount of time you can reasonably expect
it to take. Department of Conservation (DOC) Visitor
Centres, i-SITEs and local operators are a good source of
local information.
2. Tell
someone
Tell someone your plans and complete
written Outdoors Intentions BEFORE leaving on your trip.
There are tools that make it easy on the
www.adventuresmart.org.nz website. At the very least, tell a
friend or family member where you are going and date and
time to raise the alarm if you haven’t
returned.
3. Be aware of the
weather
New Zealand’s weather can be highly
unpredictable. Check the forecast and expect weather
changes. Check track and hut conditions. Beware of rivers
– if in doubt STAY OUT.
4. Know your
limits
Challenge yourself within your physical
limits and experience. Take a Mountain Safety Council
course.
5. Take sufficient
supplies
Make sure you have enough food,
clothing, equipment and emergency rations for the worst-case
scenario. Take an appropriate means of communication such as
a Mountain Radio or Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) and know
how to use them.
More information on how to enjoy
New Zealand’s great outdoors safely can be found on the
Mountain Safety Council’s website www.mountainsafety.org.nz
ENDS