A simple one step multicache that starts at the memorial cairn of Lance Vernon Gibson aged 33 years, who lost his life on Mount Egmont August 4th 1930 whilst on an Errand of Mercy.
Gather the information from his grave to derive the coordinates of the Final location of the cache.
The cache can be found at South 39° 20.ABC East 174° 20.XYZ
Where This Cairn Is Built...
A = 4th line: 13th letter value
B = 3rd line: 8th letter value
C = 2nd line: 9th letter value
X = 1st line: 17th letter value
Y = 5th line: 13th letter value
Z = 5th line: 5th letter value
Checksum = 17
Andrew Haldane, caretaker of the East Mountain House, (Stratford Mountain House) gave evidence at the Inquest that at about 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 3rd 1930, he and Mr. Taggart left the House to render assistance to a climber who had been injured. They took a stretcher and blankets with them. At the time of setting out they had no idea when they would be back. They did not expect to be out all night.
On the way up the Mountain they met Gibson, who volunteered to go back with them. Gibson had been up the Mountain since early in the day. Gibson was an experienced climber, such as one who would go to for help on a rescue party. Soon after Gibson joined them it was noticed that he was tired.
They met a party bringing the injured climber, Hall to the Stratford House, but this was the wrong course, as he could not be carried across the Manganui Gorge. Accordingly it was decided that Hall should be taken to the North [Egmont] House. Haldane and Taggart offered to go ahead to get help with Gibson expressing a desire to go with the other two.
It was just getting dark when the three of them left. After going about a mile towards the North House Gibson was exhausted and did not seem to know what he was doing. The only hope of saving him was to make for the bush. On reaching some scrub the party took what shelter there was and spent the night there. They could not reach the bush. Gibson was better clad than the other two, except that he wore shorts. An effort was made to get Gibson on his feet, but he was too weak. If he could have stood up he might have been saved. He slept for a while.
There was a storm of snow the whole night, the snow blowing over the party all the time. At about 6 a.m. on the Monday the party set out for the North House. A storm of heavy rain came on and it would be about 6.15 a.m. when Gibson died. He was past saying anything at the time. Previously he had complained of pain. After Gibson’s death Haldane and Taggart went down in the scrub and made a bee-line for the North House, arriving about 11 a.m. As a result of exposure, Haldane and Taggart were frostbitten about the hands and feet.
Under the conditions, there was no hope of getting Gibson to the North House. Samuel Taggart, Public Works foreman, engaged on the Stratford Mountain House road, corroborated the evidence given by witness Haldane.
The verdict of the court was that Gibson met his death as a result of cold, exhaustion and exposure.
It appeared that everything possible had been done by Messrs. Haldane and Taggart.
It was characteristic of youth said Mr. Kennedy, the Coroner, to take risks, and it was to be hoped that the day was [not] far distant when they would cease to do so, but even so it was desirable that precautions should be taken in climbing such a mountain as Egmont, especially in winter.
Mr. Kennedy, in expressing his sympathy, said he desired to pay a tribute to the deceased for his self-sacrifice in meeting his death while engaged helping another.
In 1930, Lance Gibson’s was the 14th death on Mt Taranaki since the first recorded in 1891
As of 2017, the death toll on Mt Egmont/Taranaki was 84!
As of 2017, the death toll on Mt Cook/Aoraki was 78 |
Source: National Library of New Zealand; Papers Past. Stratford Evening Post, Issue 21, 22 August 1930, Mountain Fatality. Retrieved 06/02/2019; URL: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/STEP19300822.2.34