UPDATE Tuesday 1 September 10 am: He’s been found ALIVE & WELL.
Why would anyone set out for such a difficult walk in those conditions?
The news that Victoria’s Minister for Water (and Tourism) Tim Holding is still missing on nearby Mt Feathertop after setting out from Harrietville on Saturday on a solo hike does not sound good. Two nights in those freezing conditions?
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Of course, I hope he’s found and OK – but to go alone? No emergency beacon? In winter?
And we complain when tourists do the same thing.
Rox, the conditions here on Saturday were very wintry. He started the hike late Saturday afternoon so obviously he had no intention of making it back that same day. He texted (not phoned) his partner at 6.30 pm (after dark) to say he’d made it to the hut at the top. That’s the last anyone has heard from him.
It sounds odd indeed.
Anyone with proper experience and appropriate gear can do that trip solo, providing you stick with what experience tells you. Into Federation hut from Harrietville should be no problem at all providing, as I said, you do it right.
It’s people who tackle something out of their depth or take unreasonable risks that get up the wrong creek.
Like climbing the Feathertop summit on this past weekend with the prevailing winds, that would have been sheer madness. That track is so narrow with sheer drops either side. Hard enough on a good day.
Um, was he in good spirits? You start to wonder.
Other hikers are reported to have spoken to him about 10 am yesterday morning as he neared the summit. Apparently they wanted to join him on the ascent but he declined and said he was going to turn around and head down … alone.
Geez, this is not sounding good.
Well now it’s reported that the other hikers saw him slip down an embankment at 8.30 am Sunday (not 10 am) and offered to go back with him but he said he’d be fine and head back by himself.
The search won’t resume until tomorrow morning and it’s really shit weather here at the moment, worse up there.
Well of course he was alone. Find me one person who would voluntarily spend their weekend in the company of a politician. Especially on a hike where you’d have no option but to actually talk to him.
Personally I actually like to hike alone, you can travel at your own pace and do not have to engage in chitchat, but I always carry a dual band waterproof milspec handheld radio with me in case I get into trouble and they’re not that expensive mine cost less than $300 several years ago and I imagine as with all electronics I could probably purchase it for less today. I would never rely on a mobile phone hiking alone.
Regardless though I hope he is found safe and well.
Thanks for that insight, Benji.
This quote from the latest news report on the matter makes you wonder why he did it though: About 5000 hikers tackle the 1922m summit every year, but few in winter and alone.
Doesn’t sound good does it? Seems a most odd thing to do in the prevailing weather.
Any local updates would be greatly appreciated Ray.
I can’t add much more than what’s been in the news, Bertus. There are a lot of resources being thrown at finding him – helicopters with infra red, crack search crews, police mobile logistics van and even the army. Tuesday is crucial I reckon.
I’m impressed with the public confidence of the Premier and family members, however, it is very treacherous up there and one slip in icy conditions up there could be the end of it. A key rule is you never go up there on your own. Not a wise move and especially deciding to go up the summit, again on his own. Met the bloke, liked him. Fingers crossed he’s just holed up somewhere in an ice cave.
Knowing what winds were blowing here in AW on Sunday morning makes his decision to aim for the summit bloody suicide at best. In places that track is extremely narrow, very steep, crumbly rock with sheer drops both sides.
As for all the effort and resources being thrown @ finding him, he’s lucky he’s not just a mere peasant. Let’s hope they do find him and remember what it cost when a commoner goes missing up there.
Forgot the deep snow which was probably iced over and crampons needed to negotiate.
JR, according to reports he was seen by other hikers to slip a few metres down an embankment on Sunday morning on the way up to the summit. After being helped up he indicated that he would abandon the rest of the ascent and head back down to his car. The other hikers offered to go with him but he declined.
I can’t imagine he is just ‘lost’ and the more likely scenario is he had another fall on the way down. So the best case is that he has dug in and is awaiting rescue. Otherwise he’d have made his own way out by now, surely.
As for the resources, well I think it’s only to be expected when such a high profile person is involved that the organisation to which he belongs (the State Govt) would throw as much of its own resources at finding him as it can. It might seem like special treatment but life is like that.
Sounds like he’s been found.
Channel 7 chopper has spotted someone flashing a space blanket, dressed in blue coat.