Four skiers partially buried in avalanche on Mt Ruapehu
The party of six was ski touring near the Summit Plateau on Friday when they triggered an avalanche while skinning — using skis with a special removable "skin" to grip the snow when travelling up a slope.
Four members of the party were partially buried in the avalanche, with one buried with only their face and arm exposed.
Another was buried except for their hand, but had an airway excavated within two minutes.
RNZ understood all members of the party were fully excavated within 10 minutes, with emergency services not needed.
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The avalanche in Mt Ruapehu backcountry was reported via a public observation on the NZ Avalanche Advisory, said NZ Mountain Safety Council chief executive Mike Daisley.
"The party was extremely lucky that no one was hurt — or worse — and the incident is an important reminder for anyone heading into the alpine backcountry that avalanches can and do happen," said Daisley.
"It's the start of the season, so now is the time to think about avalanche safety and ensure you have all the basics covered. If you're heading into the backcountry, you need the skills, training, and the equipment, and you need to check the avalanche forecast every time."
The NZ Avalanche Advisory, provided by the NZ Mountain Safety Council, gave backcountry users — those outside the skifield boundary, including skiers, snowboarders, mountaineers, trampers and hunters — vital information so they could plan their trip and make informed decisions to manage their safety in avalanche terrain.
Public observations on the avalanche advisory provided an additional source of information for avalanche forecasting. Observations were also useful for anyone planning an alpine trip, said Daisley.
"By submitting their observations, backcountry users are contributing to a more knowledgeable and safer backcountry community. We sincerely thank the party for sharing what must have been a very scary experience. This is a great example of the community looking out for each other."
rnz.co.nz
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