Councillor Simon Woolf on his way to Southland Hospital. Photo / Supplied.
Councillor Simon Woolf on his way to Southland Hospital. Photo / Supplied.
A Wellington City Councillor was just a few hours into the Routeburn Track when his summer family hike ended in a dramatic rescue.
Simon Woolf was winched out of the popular Great Walk yesterday after slipping on a rock during a stream crossing and landing heavily on his left thighand knee.
"I just went forward first straight on to my thigh and just smashed into my knee. I landed on a boulder, the whole impact of my body and 14 or 15kg pack was on my knee. I knew I was stuffed immediately- it was incredible pain", Woolf said.
The incident happened at about 4pm near Lake Mackenzie Hut.
Nearby on the track was an occupational therapist and a doctor who had both worked in hospital emergency departments, Woolf said.
"Then the DoC ranger arrived and he immediately said I wasn't going anywhere, that they would have to move me 20 metres at the most to a very slight clearing in the trees and he thought the helicopter could evacuate me through there," Woolf said.
Despite compressing his knee and keeping it cool with the stream water "it still blew up like a bowling ball".
Councillor Simon Woolf was on a hike with his family when he fell on the Routeburn Track. Photo / Supplied.
The decision was made to clear the vicinity and call in a helicopter to get Woolf out.
The councillor hasn't been in a helicopter for 20 years. His father, renowned Wellington photographer Ronald Woolf, died in 1987 when the helicopter he was in clipped a power line.
The incident crossed Woolf's mind as he was winched off the track.
"It was quite narrow but everybody was aware, the paramedic knew the family history, he knew because he worked for Life Flight. Everyone was just so totally caring."
They landed in Queenstown to refuel and then went on to Southland Hospital where Woolf was this morning getting scans to assess the damage, he said.
"No broken bones but probably pretty significant tendon and ligament damage and certainly a huge amount of fluid, it's probably two to three times the size of my other knee."
Woolf's family is still walking the track after what he described as 18 months of adversity.
"There are all sorts of reasons why my family need to nail that trip."
Councillor Simon Woolf recovering in Southland Hospital with Hospi- the Wellington Children's Hospital mascot. Photo / Supplied.
Police have made contact with them to relay the message that Woolf is okay.
Woolf said he was immensely grateful for everyone involved in the "seamless" operation, including the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust, and that he was "very lucky".
