Hikers stumbled upon the bodies of two female hikers on Mount Bogong, the highest peak in Australia’s state of Victoria, on Friday, October 3. Emergency services were called to the remote Lendenfeld Point area around 12:50 p.m. on Friday, after the two hikers came across the bodies near Cleve Cole Hut. Cleve Cole Hut is one of Australia’s most isolated shelters, north-east of Falls Creek Resort. Officers from the Search and Rescue Squad and Air Wing trekked to the scene but were forced to camp overnight due to the severe weather and rugged terrain. The bodies were finally recovered on Saturday, October 4.
The women, believed to be in their 20s or 30s, have not yet been formally identified. Police say there are currently no active missing persons reports matching their description.
The Victoria Police believe that the two women may have been missing for up to three days before their bodies were discovered, based on initial findings. Authorities say the pair likely succumbed to severe hypothermia amid “blizzard conditions” in Victoria’s high country. “It’s likely the two people succumbed to the weather,” said Inspector Paul Hargreaves. “They are exceptionally hard conditions.”
Mount Bogong, which rises to 1,986 meters (6,516 feet), is only accessible by foot, with the nearest car park more than two hours away. The area is known for its rapidly changing alpine conditions, which can turn quickly and bring blizzard conditions and snowfall even in the summer. “It’s a heartbreaking reminder to always respect the power of nature and take every precaution before hiking in extreme conditions,” said Acting Senior Sergeant Julie-Anne Newman.
Police have appealed to anyone who was in the Mount Bogong area earlier this week and may have seen disoriented hikers to come forward. The deaths are not being treated as suspicious, but the police are surprised that there have been no missing persons reports or inquiries regarding the deceased women.
- Related: Severe Weather Claims Life of Tourist Hiker at Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain National Park, Australia
Experts are urging hikers to avoid venturing into alpine regions without proper preparation, warning that conditions on Mount Bogong can deteriorate really quickly, especially during spring storms that bring freezing rain, snow, and gale-force winds. The tragic deaths come just weeks after a Chinese tourist died of hypothermia in Tasmania’s mountains.
