Fed: Well-prepared hiker could last for days on mountain: police

AAP General News (Australia)
08-31-2009
Fed: Well-prepared hiker could last for days on mountain: police

MELBOURNE, Aug 31 AAP - A well-prepared hiker with sufficient food could last for a
long time in Victoria's high plains, police searching for missing Victorian MP Tim Holding
say.

Mr Holding has been missing since Sunday after hiking alone on Mt Feathertop, Victoria's
second-highest mountain which stands at 1,922 metres.

A group of hikers have reported that they sighted the senior cabinet minister walking
north towards the summit about 8.30am (AEST) on Sunday.

Victoria Police search coordinator Acting Superintendent Wayne Rotherham said the terrain
was extremely dangerous and specialist searchers were required for the operation.

Static cloud in the area has restricted helicopters entering the search zone.

Potential "whiteouts" or blizzards in the region can cause disorientation very quickly,
Acting Supt Rotherham told ABC Radio.

"It takes a minimum of five hours to get in there before they even start searching
so we're trying to get as much in as we can (before) tonight," Acting Supt Rotherham said
on Monday.

"After the five hours they're expected to search until sundown.

"Of course they can't come back so they've got to camp in the snow and they might be
in the snow for two or three days, they're carrying all those supplies.

"We need people that are extremely well trained in navigation and bush survival skills..."

A team is also skiing across from the nearby Mt Hotham resort to search from the eastern
side of Mount Feathertop.

Acting Supt Rotherham said a bushwalker with adequate clothing and food could last
in the conditions "for a long time".

"Hopefully Mr Holding has done what all bushwalkers should do once he's realised he's
either lost or injured - that he's got supplements and the right food.

"It's cold up there, minus one degrees, so a little bit of drizzle which will probably
be snow up on the mountain."

AAP ees/gfr/maur/apm

KEYWORD: HOLDING HIKER

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