probable drowning. aspiring park

[GPSGuided]

RIP. Sad.

[north-north-west]

Off topic, I know, and I'll take a slap from Wayno for it, but Zone-S, that is an amazing video..

Toyota should use it for their advertising. A Nissan would've been washed away . . .

[Zone-5]

missing tramper's body found

...20 year old Allison Willen was found in a river near where her backpack and rain coat were located earlier in the week.

What a terrible shame this poor girl met her demise in this horrible way...

[wayno]

sticking together as a group may have kept her alive as well as getting educated and experience on river crossing... foreigners feature strongly in river drowning stats in NZ...

[Zone-5]

The GOLDEN rule is to walk at the pace of your slowest member!

[GPSGuided]

The GOLDEN rule is to walk at the pace of your slowest member!

I get the impression that this suggested rule is rarely followed by many groups. People walk at their own pace and stretch the distance, often beyond visual range. With the numerous 'lost in the bush' cases out there, this seemed to be a common contributing factor.

[north-north-west]

It does depend on experience as well as conditions. If everyone knows what they're doing you can afford to spread out a bit. If there's a wide range of levels, with some highly inexperienced, then it's best to stay close.

[Zone-5]

I always pack walkie talkies as well my usual base camp HF (link) for a remote location hike.
http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=249525#p249525

If anyone ever needs an agreed split then dedicated radio comms goes with the person. I get everyone used to a comms routine that becomes part of the hike requirements.

There is no BS here, you don't take it seriously you don't go...

[GPSGuided]

Obviously a highly responsible thing to do as a member of a group. Judging by a separate thread on handheld/portable radio, there aren't many who carry them.

[Zone-5]

Judging by a separate thread on handheld/portable radio, there aren't many who carry them.

Most radios of this type use 430 MHz which requires a HAM Radio Operators lic! Stupid really...

[GPSGuided]

Just use cheapie CB HT radio. Some goes up to 5W.

[wayno]

latest info suggests she didn't attempt to cross the river, the river flooded onto the track and she probably got washed off the track.

[Zone-5]

...she was caught in a flash flood?

[wayno]

...she was caught in a flash flood?

not enough information from the comments by police.. they know the water overflowed the track, the exact events they don't know.

[north-north-west]

latest info suggests she didn't attempt to cross the river, the river flooded onto the track and she probably got washed off the track.

How fast do those rivers rise?

[wayno]

how fast can you fill a bath tub?
there was a report of canyoners trapped on a ledge in tongariro park, within half an hour the water had risen enough to force them to leave their ledge..
half an hour is plenty of time for a river to rise by several feet in heavy rain...
flash floods are worse, a tsunami in a river... in nz its usually because of a slip blocking a water course and then bursting.

[Travis22]

RIP Allison.


I bought an old Uniden 5W unit (still in use today) for our first ever 'hiking' trip with some friends outside of / after finishing high school, iirc we might have used them once or twice but the idea at the time was just to use them if there was an issue. However these days it isnt something id consider packing for a regular hiking trip.

I usually have a UHF (always a 5W unit - Icom for me these days) in my pack if im doing a day walk from a base camp so my wife has a chance of reaching me should the need arise. She would usually have another 5W handheld or an in-car unit in camp.

Unless your an enthusiast i cannot see a portable radio communications device being something the average bushwalker is ever going to consider taking with them on a trip.

Travis.


***********
Edited to add: Sorry Wayne. Wouldny have bought it up but was replying with regard to the 4 posts above on this topic. Replied here as to not further derail the thread with another new post below.

[wayno]

RIP Allison.


I bought an old Uniden 5W unit (still in use today) for our first ever 'hiking' trip with some friends outside of / after finishing high school, iirc we might have used them once or twice but the idea at the time was just to use them if there was an issue. However these days it isnt something id consider packing for a regular hiking trip.

I usually have a UHF (always a 5W unit - Icom for me these days) in my pack if im doing a day walk from a base camp so my wife has a chance of reaching me should the need arise. She would usually have another 5W handheld or an in-car unit in camp.

Unless your an enthusiast i cannot see a portable radio communications device being something the average bushwalker is ever going to consider taking with them on a trip.

Travis.

off topic, start a thread about comms devices somewhere else.