Rescuers have trekked for almost six hours to reach a hypothermic man on Mount Taranaki, but hope others learn from his sub-optimal experience. Police were alerted at 6.30pm on Saturday, after the man recognised he was going into hypothermia and made a call for help. 

He had been on a day trail run when he was caught out by weather with very cold temperatures. Underprepared for the local conditions, the solo traveller was running out of food, water, and phone battery, and was 1400 metres up the mountain when he phoned for an ambulance. 

Taranaki Police Search and Rescue, the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter and alpine cliff rescue members were scrambled in an effort to get the man off the mountain as quickly as possible. Poor conditions and low cloud meant alpine cliff rescue members couldn’t be flown directly to the man’s location. Instead, they were dropped further down the mountain and walked for five hours, reaching the man about 1.30 am. 

Police would like to thank our local Land Search and Rescue community who climbed the mountain in cold and trying conditions to reach the man and prepare him for extraction by helicopter. A break in the weather meant the man was airlifted off the mountain about 3.20am. 

Mount Taranaki is a great place to explore and visit however conditions change with little notice, and Police would like to remind visitors to always be prepared. 

If you’re walking in the bush, please follow the five simple steps of the land safety code: 

1. Choose the right trip for you. Learn about the route and make sure you have the skills for it. 

2. Understand the weather. It can change fast. Check the forecast and change your plans if needed. 

3. Pack warm clothes, extra food. Prepare for bad weather and an unexpected night out. 

4. Share your plans and take ways to get help. Telling a trusted person your trip details and taking a distress beacon can save your life. Leave a date and time to raise the alarm if you haven't returned. Send this information to a trusted person directly. 

5. Take care of yourself and each other. Eat, drink and rest, stick with your group and make decisions together. Visit Adventure Smart NZ [1] for an expanded version of this information.

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