A 25-year-old climber suffered serious head injuries when he fell on Mt Ruapehu today.
About 10.30am a small group of climbers were climbing on the Pinnacle Ridge, Whakapapa when the man fell on ice and slid about 300m in an area known as Grand Gully.
Whakapapa Ski Patrol attended to the man and he was then airlifted to Waikato Hospital by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
At the same time a search and rescue operation was initiated for a 23-year-old woman from the same climbing party who became stuck on the top of the Pinnacles and was unable to continue.
Taupo's Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was utilised to deploy a RARO (Ruapehu Alpine Rescue Organisation) team to the area. The woman was rescued unharmed and without further incident.