Trampers retrace steps of lost leader in touching tribute

A tribute to a tramper who went missing in the Tararua Ranges 40 years ago and was never found is to be held next month.

Wellington scoutmaster Kenneth Balfour, 45, died in the ranges after separating from three scouts he had taken into the mountains on a tramp in early September 1973 and having peeled off from his three young companions to try and find a way out of the bush.

To mark the anniversary of Mr Balfour's disappearance, and as a tribute to him, Wanganui Tramping Club members are coming to North Wairarapa to organise a trip to Herepai Hut on September 14, heading along the tops to Roaring Stag Lodge for lunch on the following day.

The scoutmaster's disappearance was nationwide news in 1973 and led to one of the largest ever, unsuccessful, search and rescue operations ever mounted in the Tararuas.

Kenneth Balfour along with Venturer Scouts' Clark Halverson, 17, Phillip Doole, 16, and Andrew Larsen, 14, had entered the bush at Putara, near Eketahuna, on September 6, lunched at Putara Hut on the old Schorman Track and continued on towards Dundas Hut.

Fog meant visibility was bad and they couldn't find the hut and camped overnight in a cave.

The weather only got worst and in the early morning, unable to light a fire and having had no breakfast, they made a call to return to Putara Hut.

According to later reports they reached Mt Ruapae but took a wrong spur.

It was then the three young scouts separated from Mr Balfour who went looking for a way down.

That was the last time anyone saw Mr Balfour.

With young Andrew Larsen showing signs of exposure, darkness closing in and with no sign of their scout leader the three boys headed back along Dundas Ridge.

The boys bivouacked on the Friday night and then made their way out of the ranges along Harris Creek to Mangahao, near Shannon, emerging from the bush on the Sunday.

A major search for Mr Balfour was mounted but from the start ran into severe weather problems.

The ranges were being swept with hail showers, snow flurries and biting winds which made ground searches and air surveillance extremely difficult.

It was also ascertained Mr Balfour had no tent or primus stove, had only been carrying enough food for two days and had been suffering from cramp.

The searchers soldiered on until September 17 when the search for the hapless scoutmaster was officially called off.

Putara Hut later burned down and the Schorman Track is no longer used. Nowadays, trampers commonly access the northern Tararua tops from the east via Herepai Hut.