Tourist died of hypothermia while walking to Angelus Hut in Nelson Lakes

Lack of proper equipment and poor decision-making led a man to die of hypothermia while walking through the Nelson Lakes, a coroner found.

Malaysian man Chien Han Chee, 25, was found dead between the top of Mount Julius and the Angelus Hut near Lake Rotoiti on July 15, 2018.

Chee had been walking the Robert Ridge route to Angelus Hut and his death was referred to the coroner. In his written findings, Coroner David Robinson found that Chee died in the Mount Robert range due to hypothermia between July 11 and 15.

Since then, several initiatives have been undertaken to reduce the number of incidents and deaths along the popular route in Nelson Lakes National Park.

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Chee was on vacation from work at the time of his death and had been staying at a boarding house in the Motueka region.

He told a friend that he intended to hike to the Angelus Hut in Nelson Lakes National Park with three other people and stay two nights.

He texted his friend at 10 a.m. M. From July 11 to tell him that he was leaving and that the track was steep.

A search and rescue operation was launched after Chee’s friend raised the alarm that he had not returned.

A helicopter pilot who took a team to the area on July 15 saw an object in the snow at the ridge line that he thought was a herd. A leader of the search and rescue team was detained and Chee’s body was located, about 10 meters from his backpack.

At the coroner’s request, the Mountain Safety Council (MSC) completed a review and found that Chee was adequately equipped for a summer bum in reasonable weather, but not for the conditions he experienced.

Photos taken during his hike showed that it was apparent that Chee did not realize the danger he was in, as they should have led him to retrace his route and return to the shelter.

The food in Chee’s backpack was practically intact, it looked like he had only eaten a sandwich and the only trash he found was a banana peel.

Your poor decision making may have been the result of not being able to maintain adequate energy levels due to lack of food.

The report made seven recommendations; including that solo travel was not recommended for inexperienced bums above the bush line or in winter conditions, homeless people should be aware of the forecast weather and be prepared to change their plans. An emergency shelter, navigation equipment and an emergency communication device must be carried on all trips.

NZ Mountain Safety Council Operations Manager Nathan Watson said he had previously identified the access to Angelus Hut, particularly through Robert Ridge, as one of the most dangerous places in the country for loitering incidents.

“We see a fairly broad spectrum of incidents, from minor to fatal, and when we look at the details of those, we think they are preventable in nature.”

In June 2019, Takaka’s wife, Tracey Smith, died in blizzard conditions near Angelus Hut.

Between 2010 and 2019, there were 45 people involved in search and rescue (SAR) and two deaths in the area, representing an incident rate of 1 in 700 homeless people requiring SAR assistance.

Watson said Chee was not fully equipped for the environment he was in, something MSC saw “too often.”

In October 2018, MSC released a series of safety videos, focusing on some of the most popular and high-risk tracks in the country, including the Robert Ridge route.

An advisory group on specific issues has also been established between MSC, DOC and the police with a focus on solving security problems along that route. The final report was expected to be completed in June 2021.

Nelson Lakes Department of Conservation Operations Manager John Wotherspoon said information on the difficulties and risks to expect on the routes to Angelus Hut were on the DOC website, at the Nelson Lakes Visitor Center and at the main access point in the Mt Robert parking lot.

Winter-specific information on the website emphasizes increased hazards in winter conditions, including snow and ice, avalanche risk, and freezing temperatures that require alpine skills, equipment, warm and waterproof clothing, and experience.

“Ultimately, visitors are responsible for their safety and the decisions they make about the risks they take.”

Signs have been posted at the Speargrass Hut and Relax Shelter along the Robert Ridge Trail urging visitors to consider whether to continue to Angelus Hut.

They ask visitors to consider whether they are sufficiently prepared, equipped and not too tired to cope with several more hours of ascent in colder conditions and on more difficult and steeper terrain. The notices indicate that there have been multiple deaths and multiple rescues on the route.