Vic: Skier survived on diet of moss and melted ice

AAP General News (Australia)
08-16-2000
Vic: Skier survived on diet of moss and melted ice

By Sarah Timms

MELBOURNE, Aug 16 AAP - A Melbourne man lost in Victoria's Mt Hotham skifields for
48 hours survived on a diet of moss and melted snow.

Stuart Page, 32, of East St Kilda, was in good spirits when rescued today and suffered
only mild hypothermia after building a snowcave to shield himself from the freezing conditions.

He will soon be reunited with his pregnant wife.

Asked how he was feeling, Mr Page pointed to his rescuers and said: "(I'm) feeling
good but these guys are the real heroes.

"They did fabulously."

A break in the weather enabled a helicopter to reach the novice skier about 2pm (AEST)
after a news helicopter spotted him waving and signalling from a clearing near the Dimentina
River, about 2.5km from the Mt Hotham Village.

The search coordination centre was notified and the Mt Hotham Resort helicopter, manned
by police search and rescue personnel, landed nearby.

Rescue pilot John Eacott said Mr Page's clear thinking and commonsense pulled him through
the ordeal.

"He obviously did the right things. He's holed up, his skis were crossed as they should
be," Mr Eacott told Channel Nine News.

"He is in bloody good spirits."

Senior Sergeant Barry Gibson said: "Had he not done what he did, he was certainly running
out of time.

"His outcome by dusk tonight wouldn't have been good."

Mr Page disappeared after leaving his lodge to go skiing in Avalanche Gully on Monday afternoon.

It was believed he became disorientated in bad weather, accompanied by heavy snow on
Monday, and was unable to make his way out on foot because of deep, fresh snow.

An extensive search by more than 100 people, including police, State Emergency Service
personnel and members from the Federation of Walkers, was conducted as well as the avalanche
search dog.

A group of 21 army personnel had also been placed on standby but were not needed, police said.

Mr Page was flown to Mt Hotham Medical Centre where he was being treated for mild hypothermia
but police said he had no other obvious injuries and was not expected to be admitted to
hospital.

The temperature on Mt Hotham dropped below minus six degrees overnight and further
snow brought the snow depth to more than two metres.

AAP st/jd/arb/de

KEYWORD: SKIER NIGHTLEAD

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