A ''missing'' Canadian tramper was yesterday found safe and well - although the man had no idea he had been reported as missing.
A search and rescue effort was due to be initiated yesterday morning, after Stephen Proctor (26) stopped issuing daily updates of his location to family through a web blog.
Mid South Canterbury area police commander Inspector Dave Gaskin said the man had used a GPS tracker, which ''pings off'' daily to give the user's position. The GPS tracker had not been activated since Thursday, when it placed the man near the shores of Lake Tekapo, below the Round Hill skifield access road on the northeastern side of the lake.
However, he was found ''safe and well'' at Royal Hut on the Two Thumb Range, about halfway between Lake Tekapo and the Rangitata River valley, by a farmer from Mesopotamia Station about 10am yesterday.
''His computer that he was meant to be sending his GPS tracking device from obviously malfunctioned - either that or there was no coverage in the area. Although he thought he was sending the required messages, he wasn't.''
Mr Proctor had been walking a section of the Te Araroa Trail between Lake Tekapo and the Rangitata River, as part of a bid to walk the length of New Zealand. Insp Gaskin said the man would continue with his trek.
The growing number of solo trampers on the Tekapo stretch of the Te Araroa Trail was ''an area of concern'' for police.
The Tekapo section was ''basically a trail, rather than a track'' on remote and difficult terrain.
''There is a lot of young people walking it solo so there is always a chance that someone will go missing, though fortunately not on this occasion.''
