When forced to make decisions with a half-numb mind, even the most experienced trampers can get into trouble.
By Jamie Melbourne-Hayward
When forced to make decisions with a half-numb mind, even the most experienced trampers can get into trouble. Hutt Valley Tramping Club Chief guide Don Heron has experienced the feeling himself. ?It can be difficult to think straight, you don?t want the experience and it?s hard to describe. ?I was extremely cold once, couldn?t do the buckles up on my pack, my fingers were ice; I had to stand there doing jumping jacks, moving around, and forcing myself to eat,? he says. If faced with a difficult situation on a tramp the rule is to stop, analyse the situation and take the best course of action from there. ?It?s the call you make in the situation. ?That?s why tramping parties are good for coming up with ideas and deciding on the solution. ?You have option A that you thought would be fine, but you need to switch to option B and that might take more time,? says Mr Heron. He says it?s hard to be prepared for everything, and it comes down to judgement and talking the time to think the situation through. ?Weather is the main thing, and it?s the decision to continue up that hill, or cross that river.? Exposure is the biggest danger for trampers, followed by drowning. ?Exposure kills very quickly, almost instantly; it gets you to the point where you can?t even put your hat on your head, or your shoes or jacket on.? Bad calls over river crossings can also be deadly, and the recent death of a woman tramping in the South Island highlighted ?getting homeitis?. ?Homeitis is where your decision making is forgotten and you just want to get out of there fast. ?You get that feeling that you suddenly have to go home, you have to walk over that ridge, or cross that river right now,? he says. Hutt Valley Tramping Club has been around for over 80 years, and members have experienced getting into trouble, with one member loosing part of his leg following an accident. Local spots where people can get into trouble are the exposed area on top of Belmont Regional Park, and the Orongorongo River crossing near the Rimutaka visitor centre, where if the water rises you can?t cross back. Metlink is invaluable for weather updates before heading out, and Mr Heron recommends calling DOC and getting in touch with a ranger that knows the area you?re planning to visit.
