A tramper has been rescued off a snowy southern hillside this afternoon after suffering a terrifying 150m fall - and then sliding for another 150m.
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was alerted just after 1pm after a personal locator beacon was activated.
A rescue chopper, along with a Garden City Helicopters machine, was scrambled to the Torlesse Range in the Canterbury high country.
A 35-year-old man, from Christchurch, was winched off the mountainside, aided by an Alpine Rescue team.
He was flown to Christchurch Hospital with a serious leg injury, along with an injured hand. He is said to be in a stable condition.
A tramping companion was also winched off the mountainside but was uninjured.