Our team attended a rescue callout recently in the Arthur’s Pass area with our local Rescue Helicopter. The callout required us to fly to the nearby Barker Hut to determine which group we were trying to locate. One person who was chilling at the hut told us that there were 3 pairs plus a solo party staying the previous night. No one had filled in the hut book for days so we were none the wiser about their specific intentions.
Next time you’re staying at a hut remember to leave your intentions! This is in addition to leaving your intentions prior to your trip with your reliable emergency contact person. Sometimes plans change while you’re out there too. If you call for help and rescue services cannot immediately locate you, the first place that we will look is in the nearby hut.
Intentions with your trusted emergency contact should include:
– who is going on the trip
– when you’re leaving and what time you expect to be back in contact (allow contingency time).
– your planned route
– note what emergency device you’re carrying: eg. PLB or InReach
AdventureSmart New Zealand even has a nifty form online that you can fill out to send straight to your emergency contact: https://www.adventuresmart.nz/outdoor-intentions-form
Alpine Rescue Canterbury 