Missing walker in the snowys.

[marron]

Losing the track on the wrong spur, i get.
Whatever he did next, charitable version (i.e., genuinely lost and trying to self rescue), nothing makes much sense.. The reports give 4 points from memory adter Hammel, - Kosciuszko Ck, Geehi, Opera House, rescue spot. Thats the order that probably makes the most sense. But to do it it means he has to have been heading east, upstream, along Geehi. Which... where did he think he was? Just keeps comimg back to that for me - he clearly had no idea about where they were going - he just cant have looked at a map at all, in which case, why did his mates let him go off alone? And getting out from Opera House seens to have been very lucky, or, he read notes in the hut, but to a fella who has just accidentally walked a week or more in the exact wrong direction, how helpful could those notes be?

(Also, zero food in his bag? Like not even any snacks? I wonder if he had some and when he ran out thats when he dumped the bag. If not, it's another lesson along with the others of how to prepare for eventualities and stay safe as a group).

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

While anything is possible given the information vacuum, I don't think publicly calling into question the guy's motives, without knowing them for sure, is in any way helpful.

[marron]

Yep you are right. For the record, not trying to do that. For me it's more, there's a whole bunch of lessons in this. And it could be me. I'd like to know the chain for reflections sake. Plus plain old curiosity.

[peregrinator]

Yep you are right. For the record, not trying to do that. For me it's more, there's a whole bunch of lessons in this. And it could be me. I'd like to know the chain for reflections sake. Plus plain old curiosity.

W_F_B_W is spot on. Can we stop the morbid speculation please? There are no "lessons in this" yet, because there is almost no evidence available.

[marron]

Yep fair enough. Sorry again.

[jtmiske]

Totally agree with Marron and hoojar, *if* the reporting is correct, as outlined in this other thread viewtopic.php?f=5&t=42028&p=457927#p457927. I walked Hannels Spur less than a week before N was reported missing. He shouldn't have got lost *if* he was experienced, and he also clearly had no sense of where he was relative to "exit strategies." So either he is not experienced like claimed or if he *is*, then it's very reasonable to be asking questions about why on earth he made the decisions he made. Lots of people gave up a lot of time and money to search for him. I'm disappointed and cross there has not been any deep analysis and/or "recommendations" (other than just stay still) from actual experts in the reporting.

[Camminata]

Easy to sit back behind the computer and say I would of done this etc.... and why this why why why........we don't need to know why he did this the hard way or whatever this no right or wrong way, Everyone is different we and I have no idea what was going thru his head
N has self rescued himself, good on him! , so what if people gave up their time and effort to search for him , wouldn't you want to be found?? thats ok will just leave you there , who cares he's alive its a positive.
Some stupid conspiracy about its a fake and setup to make money , so was the 911 attacks!??? pffft!

[Warin]

Someones thinking on the subject
https://archive.md/AQXYC#selection-2449.326-2449.332

[johnf]

The Canberra times article seems the best effort so far of making sense of where Hadi might have gone and seems to align with facts that were previously disclosed publicly.
I am not making sense of the fire place. The author says Hadi stayed there on 26 or 27 (presumably from the date of the video message)
I'm assuming that was on Kosciuszko Ck or nearby tributary.
Did he make that fireplace? I don't think many bushwalkers would go that route from Main Range to Geehi Rv after the 2003 regrowth.
Looks to be more than a night or two of coals and the half burnt log to the right seems to have a bit of moss on it so on the other hand might be a pre existing fireplace.
So while the article does make some sense, it explains what might have been happening over 4 or 5 days not 13. Maybe if his tent is ever found that would explain something.

[peter_mcc]

It's a shame the Canberra Times article doesn't have a better map of where the author thinks Hadi went - I'm glad he made it out alive but it all makes no sense when I try to piece together the possible route he took.

[emydura]

Hadi Nazari will be appearing on the ABC's 7.30 next week. So, hopefully more will be revealed about what actually happened. This also puts paid to the speculation that this was all a publicity stunt to make money. He wouldn't receive a cent from the ABC.

[Tortoise]

Thanks, emydura. Do you know what day?

[emydura]

Thanks, emydura. Do you know what day?

The promos are just saying 'next week', so I don't know exactly what day. 7.30 are calling it an 'exclusive interview'. Ironically, I won't see it live as I will be walking up on the Kosciusko main range close to where he was found. I will watch it on iview.

Here is the promo - https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1854415888697103

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

His story is also on the ABC news website. Link here:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-24/ ... ntent=link

[crollsurf]

EPG saying the Interview is on 730 Report tonight (Monday Feb 24)

[eug]

The program is up: https://iview.abc.net.au/video/NC2501H029S00

They were two or so hours till the end of their trip which would explain the lack of food. Who would have thought 2 hours would become nearly 2 weeks.

[wildwanderer]

Interesting interview. Some new information.

My take on Hadi's journey going on the ABC interview and information in other articles. I'm making a few estimations and guesses.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-09/ ... /104797582

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-24/ ... /104964904

While descending hannels spur and separated from his walking partners (the group liked the solitude of walking some distance apart and Hadi liked to stop to take photos) he came to what he thought was a junction or dual trail and took the wrong one. (I'm guessing likely a false trail or animal pad), he followed it and after a while became disorientated as the bush became thicker. According to accounts the point he diverged from the correct track was likely within a few kms of the start/end of the hannels spur trail (which is at swampy plain river).

Hadi says when he realised he was lost he tried to go up and left to where the correct trail was but couldn't find it so I'm assuming when he left the hannels spur trail he wandered to the north and down. At some point that day he dropped his large pack as it was getting caught on the very thick scrub he was attempting to push through. Seems a strange thing to do but I'm guessing it was getting caught in scrub frequently and finally got very stuck or tangled in something like a thorny vine and was difficult to recover.

He still had his camera and camera bag with him and a lighter in his pocket. As it became dark he set up camp near a creek and lit a fire. I'm assuming this was still within a few km of the hannels spur track. Likely to the north near geehi river. North and near Geehi is also mentioned in the Canberra Times article.

That night he makes a video message for his family on his camera.

He lights a fire that night and the next day uses the fire to create smoke in the hope to attract attention.

By very unfortunate coincidence there is a bush fire burning nearby. Helicopters tasked with putting out this fire, don't see the smoke signals Hadi is making as their attention is on the bushfire.

Hadi makes his way to where the helicopters are operating, unfortunately they don't see him despite him waving and trying to attract attention.

We are told the bush is very thick and Hadi is wearing grey and green clothes so he blends in with the bush well.

Hadi gets so close to the bushfire he sees the trees falling and hears the crackling of the fire. He rapidly retreats most likely heading east. In his haste he doesn't retrieve his lighter or camera bag from his campsite. (They are found by searchers days later)

Then there are several days of mystery (7-8 days?) between when Hadi retreats from the fire and discovers opera house hut where he spent 3 nights.

We are told he saw Opera house hut from above and descended to it. So the logical route of descending to Geehi R, walking up river east, then turning south east and walking up Lady Northcotes creek is likely incorrect.

So I'm assuming he crossed Kosciusko creek and spent days wandering and traversing the scrub and boulder filled lower sections of spurs and creeks below Mt Townsend and Alice Rawson Peak. Keeping in mind the search we are told is concentrated around Kosciusko creek and lower sections of Hannels Spur so it's possible Hadi was out of the search area quite early on.

There is plenty of water in the creeks, the weather has been dry and warm and there are a few berries around for Hadi to eat. So Hadi manages to survive despite having no tent or sleeping bag or warm clothing.

Hadi mentions he sees helicopters from time to time and some pass directly above him, but he is not seen due to the thick scrub, overhead canopy and his dark clothing. Hadi thinks the helicopters are not looking for him and are fighting the bush fire.

Eventually traversing around the lower reaches below Alice Rawson Peak, Hadi somehow spots the roof of opera house hut and descends to it.

Spending 3 nights there, eating a couple of found muesli bars, he reads the log book and realises that the hut is infrequently visited. He is likely starving and knows he won't survive much longer.

There is information in the log book with directions on routes back up to the main range. Hadi would know having walked that area before he got lost that there are usually lots of hikers up there at this time of year.

So he makes his way up heading for Charlotte's Pass. Spending another night out in the open at which time a storm hits and Hadi spends his coldest night, struggling to keep warm. The next day he is exhausted, stopping every 10 paces to catch his breath as he tries to ascend through very steep country.

On his last legs and now above the tree line, he spots a hiking party somewhere between Caruthers Peak and Blue Lake. He shouts and yells and they spot him. A speck ascending towards them.

They reach him, Authorities are contacted and the Police helicopter picks him up.

[Xplora]

At the point he left Hannels you would not be able to go 100m off the track before hitting thick bush regardless of any animal track but he kept going down. The group had already been up Hannels so he should have known very quickly he was off track. It was morning and it seems he was still trying to find his way back to the track when darkness fell. That is a lot of time. How far away was the fire? So he camps by a creek and the next day follows helicopters, leaving his camera and lighter behind. Again, how far away was this fire? Suddenly he is within metres of the fire. Really? That seems like a lot of ground covered. Even in thick bush you would be able to see bellowing smoke from a considerable distance. So he goes east to escape the fire which is fair enough. It was only a 40ha fire and being hit hard by crews. Eventually he gets to Opera House hut and decides to go up instead of taking the road. If he had waited another day at the hut he would have had company but he was not to know that.

I feel there are still many things left out of his story but if we take what he says to be true he is certainly quite fortunate. Error compounded by error over and over yet he survived. Taking a false track is very common but he should have worked that out quickly. Turn around and walk back up. Instead he made two plans and didn't follow either. What isn't he telling us? There is simply too much time walking down through thick scrub. Spur walking is relatively straight forward. The terrain falls away either side. Once you realise you are off the spur you turn around and go back up but it seems to have taken him a very long time to work out he was not on the track and that is what I struggle with. I don't see him as experienced but it doesn't take much experience to come to that realisation. Perhaps he just lacks common sense. Regardless, eventually you will find the track again if you go up. No map or nav aids required.

I think we all benefit for other's mistakes and hopefully it will help people not to make the same mistake.

[Allchin09]

Do we know how the fire started? No mention of storms at that time in the reporting so I'm not sure it would be from lightning. Maybe just a coincidence that it was close by.

[Xplora]

Do we know how the fire started? No mention of storms at that time in the reporting so I'm not sure it would be from lightning. Maybe just a coincidence that it was close by.

I did read it was a lightning strike. There has not been any evidence to the contrary.

[crollsurf]

After watching the 7:30 report, I believe him. Made a mistake, went for the easy option instead of back-tracking. Probably panicked, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

[Tortoise]

The thing I hadn't taken enough into consideration before I watched the interview, is that it can be very, very difficult to think logically in difficult/life-threatening situations. I'd like to think I have enough experience to make sensible decisions if I ever got really lost (and my GPS failed, compass smashed and my pack with my map, phone and PLB fell over a cliff). But I can't be 100% sure I would. I can relate, in different contexts, to making 2 plans and sticking to neither.

[puredingo]

After watching the 7:30 report, I believe him. Made a mistake, went for the easy option instead of back-tracking. Probably panicked, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

Mate, have I got the car for you! Dings and scratches will buff right out and only one little old lady owner who used it going to church and back…and I shouldn’t do this, the boss will kill me, but since I like you, the price if, you sign now……

[Camminata]

Are you implying you think the story is bullcrap?

[Baeng72]

I read the report. A few holes from my understanding. But, as the old saw goes, never attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence/or something else.
I think he wasn't that experienced, as in, didn't know to turn back, and go to crest of Spur, and other stuff.
When people retell a story, they omit bits because memory is fallible, a fact doesn't seem salient, a bit embarrassed, want to burnish their credentials, whatever...

I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd gone the Spotlight/60 Minutes cash route with the story, but that wouldn't have made his story false.

But I'm fairly trusting, and wouldn't mind a look at puredingo's car.

[rcaffin]

There is an obvious saddle not too many km from the bottom. At one stage the reconstructed track went across the saddle (good camping there, have photos), and some of the old markers took that route. The cleared track now drops S or SE to cross a gully, where there might (or might not) be water. He might have got lost there.

Cheers
Roger

[johnw]

I watched the ABC story last night. I'm satisfied that he's genuine but there were gaps in the story where he's missing for many days.
It was one fairly short segment in the whole show, so maybe those days were more fully explained but edited out for production reasons.
Until watching this I didn't realise that they climbed Hannels Spur (which I haven't), walked the Main Range circuit (which I've done many times) then descended Hannels, which is when things went awry.
He seems very articulate and intelligent, and I think probably reasonably experienced, but clearly got out of his depth on this occasion.
Certainly some lessons learned about staying in contact with companions in that environment, especially when only one PLB, map etc is shared.

[Hoojar]

I was told over the weekend from a friend in the SES that what has not been reported is that after leaving Opera House he went through Siren Song Tunnel, then turned around and came back up the Tunnel. Then headed up to the Main Range.

That means he could have followed the fire trail through to the Geehi Dam Road.

[puredingo]

Are you implying you think the story is bullcrap?

Ummm, ahhhh….Who the hell knows? Well, he knows and maybe a couple of his co-conspirators but that’s all going to stay with them forever if it is in fact fraudulent. Such is the pace of life I’ve moved on and haven’t given it much thought lately. I’ll fence sit.

I wouldn’t be shocked if it’s a scam but also happy to believe until proven otherwise that it’s a fair dinkum case of inexperience and mismanagement.

The one thing I can’t quite get my head around is leaving the hut. To me this is a total no brainer. I mean after already being out in the elements for days and you find shelter with at least some food in there! Why would you leave? Ok, he had the wherewithal to check the log book and understand it’s seldom visited but it IS visited and you know there’s a party/ party’s out looking for you, the hut going to get checked. I don’t know, I get panic, fatigue, irrational behaviour…I’ve been lost and nearly broke down at the sight of a decrepit coke can and mudflap as a sign of civilisation encroaching….the hut defies common bushwalking experience its basic common sense.

For what this is worth, I finished a 10 day walk in Jindabyne not long after he was found and just about every old school local seemed to be suspicious on the whole thing or blatantly swear it a total money grab. Apparently it’s not a rare thing in dem der parts?

[north-north-west]

I was told over the weekend from a friend in the SES that what has not been reported is that after leaving Opera House he went through Siren Song Tunnel, then turned around and came back up the Tunnel. Then headed up to the Main Range.
That means he could have followed the fire trail through to the Geehi Dam Road.

The fuss and effort and money that could have been saved by the possession of a map and compass, and the ability to use them ...