Overnight rescue of ill-equipped climbers at Remarkables

A 12-hour rescue saved two ill-equipped climbers lost in a snow storm on the Remarkables mountain range after they set off an avalanche.

Two attempted helicopter rescues were turned back due to the storm on Saturday night before rescuers were able to walk for several hours to reach the men.

Wakatipu Alpine Cliff Rescue team coordinator Russ Tilsley said the men – a Scotsman and a Frenchman aged in their 20s who lived in Wānaka – had set out for an afternoon of climbing.

However, they were not prepared for the forecast storm, had no avalanche equipment, no safety gear, and little food.

“They shouldn’t have been up there at that time,” he said.

“If we hadn’t reached them, they could have been in serious trouble.”

Tilsley said the men went ice climbing at the head of Wye Creek, which they accessed via the Remarkables Ski Area.

The ice had not formed as expected, so they diverted to the south face of the Remarkables, another well-known climbing area.

They had only completed their first pitch when they realised it was getting late and a storm was approaching.

They tried to leave through an access gully but it started an avalanche, so they changed route and became lost.

They hunkered under a boulder and called police about 5pm on Saturday.

The Wakatipu Alpine Cliff Rescue team initially attempted to send a team to the men by helicopter but the flight was turned back because of the incoming snow storm.

At the base, the team worked on a difficult rescue plan, which included whether they would send a ground crew into the area due to the high avalanche risk.

“We have to look at all aspects, including whether we are putting more people in danger,” Tilsley said.

The weather cleared briefly so they sent another helicopter up, but it was also turned back due to weather

“Once we got back down we had a good plan and decided we could probably get some guys in.”

The team of four were highly skilled with good local knowledge and avalanche skills, he said.

They went to the Remarkables Ski Area about 11.30pm where ski staff provided them with a ride to the top of the ski area on a snow groomer.

They had a GPS location from the men’s phone, which turned out to be very accurate, and they were found about 3am.

“They were in relatively good condition considering they didn’t have a lot of gear,” Tilsley said.

The men were wet, cold and tired and keen to get out of the area.

The rescuers provided them with extra clothes and walked them to the Remarkables Ski Area where ski patrollers met them with snowmobiles and carried them to the base, about 6am.

Tilsley said the men had not asked anyone about avalanche conditions before setting out and though they were aware a weather front was forecast, they were not equipped for it.

“I wouldn’t have been going in there with that weather forecast.”

He hoped they had learned a lesson.

“Whether that gets through to them, I don’t know.

“They’re probably good climbers and probably thought they were not in avalanche terrain.”

The rescue team were all volunteers, with two working on the base, four heading into the mountains during the night and another four scheduled to relieve them on Sunday morning.

Climbing in the Remarkables and back country skiing was becoming increasingly popular as it was relatively easy to access via the ski area’s chairlifts, Tilsley said.

“You go there on a nice sunny day and there’s people everywhere in the Doolans and Wye Creek areas.

“As the skifields are getting more busy, the back country is becoming more popular.”

It was great to have easily accessible back country areas, but it did create a problem when people accessed the areas without the right training and equipment.

There were lots of courses available on understanding avalanches, and pertinent, real time regional information on avalanche.net.nz, he said.