Climbers rescued from Remarkables in Queenstown after social media alert

The climbers were on a route called Fridays Fool in the Remarkables mountain range when one of them posted to social media about needing help. Photo / File

Two climbers were rescued from the Remarkables Range after one took to social media to say they were stranded with no rope.

The two men, believed to be from England and the United States, got into difficulty near the summit of a 200m snow and ice route known as Fridays Fool about 5pm on Sunday.

A team from Search and Rescue and Remarkables Ski Patrol and Alpine Cliff Rescue was involved in a search operation as temperatures started to drop.

Climbers approach the top of Fridays Fool on the Remarkables. Photo / Chris Prudden

Chris Prudden, leader of Wakatipu LandSar's alpine cliff rescue team, said: "Somehow the rope got cut, which was pretty unusual.

"The guy at the top had to set himself in place and the person who was belaying at the bottom had the rope coming down the mountain at him.

"It could have turned out to be quite serious if they were lower down the mountain. It would have been harder to get to.

"They were quite close to the top of the climb.''

One of the climbers is thought to have initially used social media to say they were stranded, which Prudden described as a "little bit frustrating''.

'We would far prefer if people need assistance for them to call NZ Police. [That would] help a lot with getting things done.''

Both climbers were rescued around 8pm and taken to the Remarkables Ski Area base.

Neither was injured.

A helicopter was not used for the rescue operation because of poor visibility.