Missing: Stephanie Simpson, 32
A desperate search is under way best tools for a dog hiking a British backpacker missing in New Zealand.
Stephanie Simpson, 32, told friends she was going hiking over the weekend at Mount Aspiring National Park on the South Island.
The alarm was raised when she failed to turn up at her landscaping job on Monday.
A police search including a helicopter found no sign of her.
Heavy rains have caused flooding around the national park where two hikers were found dead in a swollen river on Friday.
It is believed Miss Simpson, who moved to Wanaka last year after traveling Australia, went walking alone.
She told friends she planned to make a four-hour trek to Brewster Hut before heading to the Blue Pools on Saturday.
Friends said she was an experienced hiker.
‘She’s strong, she’s fit, she’s capable. She’s worked in the outdoors, she knows what she’s up to,’ on friend told the <a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website Zealand Herald.
‘She’s a really beautiful, kind-hearted person. She can make friends in an instant, she’s awesome. She’s just here to tramp and see the country,’ the friend added.
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Stephanie Simpson, 32, told friends she was going hiking over the weekend at Mount Aspiring National Park (pictured) on the South Island
