Czech tramper found safe

A Czech Republic tourist who decided not to cross an ''ugly'' mountain stream walked out of the bush near the Haast Pass yesterday morning with nothing more than wet feet.

The 34-year-old man had spent two nights at the Brewster Hut waiting to climb Mt Armstrong but the weather was not suitable.

On Wednesday morning he decided to return to his car in the Fantail Falls car park but the flooded Haast River barred his way.

He told tourists across the river he would find another place to cross further downstream.

With heavy rain and high rivers, concerns for his safety led to a search and rescue operation being launched.

Police search and rescue co-ordinator Sergeant Aaron Nicholson told the Otago Daily Times yesterday the man had decided to retreat to the Brewster Hut for the night and he was found early yesterday morning safe and well.

Sgt Nicholson described the man's decision to return to the hut rather than attempt the river as ''quite cool''.

''Because it's quite difficult when you are only 50m away from your car and you've got a two-hour walk ahead of you'' back to a hut, he said.

Sgt Nicholson and another member of the search and rescue team found the man on the track about half an hour from the river.

The river was only ''knee deep'' yesterday, in contrast to the previous day, when it was ''really, really raging'' as a white water search and rescue team crossed to look for the man.

Sgt Nicholson said the man was tramping alone and had ''obviously been experienced enough'' not to ''have a crack'' at crossing the river.

''He was rapt we were looking for him and he was comfortable he had made the right decision.''

The man was last seen catching a lift to the West Coast.

mark.price@odt.co.nz

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