Seven hikers in Kosciuszko National Park needed to be rescued on Saturday (26 July). Photo: NSW Police.
Hikers have been urged yet again to check for adverse weather alerts after seven people needed to be rescued from Kosciuszko National Park, southwest of Thredbo.
A search operation started at about 1:15 pm on Saturday (26 July) after a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) was activated in the vicinity of the Dead Horse Gap Track.
Monaro Police District and Police Search and Rescue officers, State Emergency Service Alpine Search and Rescue operators and NSW Ambulance Alpine Operations paramedics were deployed to locate the hiking party.
The seven hikers – aged between 21 and 48 – were found at about 7 pm.
They were assessed by paramedics and treated for exposure to the cold before they were all taken to Thredbo Village in a Snowcat vehicle.
Police were told the hikers became disorientated after a sudden change in weather conditions.
Monaro Police District Commander, Detective Acting Superintendent Keith Price, said the fact the group had a PLB with them greatly helped the rescue effort.
“Activating the PLB meant rescuers had a precise location as well as information about the stranded group, enabling the appropriate resources to be deployed more quickly,” he said.
“Even experienced hikers with the right gear can be impacted by sudden weather changes and our advice to all hikers in the Alpine area is to always check for weather alerts, plan your route carefully, and take a PLB.”
A severe weather warning for damaging winds had been in place for the Snowy Mountains region on Saturday (26 July) as a cold front and associated low pressure system swept across the state.
Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Angus Hines said the winds, combined with the snowfall, produced blizzard conditions for south-east Alpine areas, resulting in poor visibility.
“It can be very dangerous to be out and about in that kind of weather,” he warned.
About 12 cm of snow fell on Thredbo Mountain (elevation 2037 m) on Saturday.
The next incoming weather event for the country is a cold front that’s bringing rain to Western Australia today (27 July), before it sweeps eastwards.
It’s expected to reach NSW and the ACT across Monday and Tuesday.
“This is going to be a follow-up spell of wet weather … [it] won’t be as heavy as we’ve just seen,” Mr Hines said.
NSW Police has online information on safe hiking practices and park alerts can be found through NSW National Parks.
Original Article published by Claire Fenwicke on About Regional.
