DANGER: The scene on Mt Tongariro yesterday where a woman was rescued.
DANGER: The scene on Mt Tongariro yesterday where a woman was rescued.
Police rescued a solo hiker from a precarious position on Mt Tongariro yesterday afternoon.
The 26-year-old woman was walking alone through the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, heading towards the summit, when her crampon became loose and she slipped on ice.
She managed to stop her fall but found herself in aprecarious position and unable to move up or down the mountain.
She called a friend, who called 111.
Two tourists walking about 500m behind her heard also heard her screams and called emergency services.
Rescuers from LandSAR RARO (Ruapehu Alpine Rescue Organisation) headed to the crossing on board the Greenlea rescue helicopter and quickly found her.
After being dropped off by the helicopter, two rescuers climbed down the side of the ridge and assisted her back to the ridge, before the rescue helicopter took the rescuers and her back to the base of Ruapehu.
A spokesman for the rescue helicopter said the woman was totally overwhelmed by her experience and was not sure she could have perched on the steep slope much longer.
