‘May can give a false sense of safety,’ expert warns after Hong Kong hiker dies in Japan

Hikers should not underestimate the risks of climbing in Japan during the volatile spring transition in May, a mountaineering expert has warned after two Hong Kong men became stranded in the Northern Alps, one of whom later died.Veteran mountaineer Chung Kin-man said on Wednesday that climbers might develop a false sense of safety due to warmer weather in lowland areas in May, even as conditions in the mountains remained unstable, with risks of snowstorms, strong winds and freezing temperatures.He said May falls between the traditional winter and summer climbing seasons, creating highly unstable conditions that required mountaineers to prepare for both cold and wet environments.