Skier found in deep snow drift

Rescuers found a woman in chest– deep snow amid blustery weather in what is described as an ‘‘epic’’ overnight rescue.

The woman was found huddled on the edge of a tree line at 2.30am on Monday after becoming lost while skiing at Turoa ski field on Mt Ruapehu.

Had it not been for a joint rescue effort, those who found the woman say she would not have survived the night.

She’d set off for a day’s skiing on Sunday and on the last run, exited the ski boundary having followed the wrong valley, a spokeswoman for the Taupo-based Greenlea rescue helicopter said.

‘‘With the onset of darkness, she became lost.’’

Equipped with a cellphone but minimal battery power, the woman called a friend to say she was aiming to make it to the Massey Ski Lodge.

Concerned, the woman’s friend phoned police at 5.50pm saying the skier may need assistance.

National Park police Constable Conrad Smith said by that time, the woman’s phone was dead, it was dark and weather conditions were dangerous. It was unlikely she would survive the night if she was out in the open.

Searchers assembled and, using their knowledge of the area, covered a vast area of the mountain, assisted by the Greenlea helicopter which provided an aerial view.

About 2.30am, one of the ski patrols spotted the woman in a ‘‘very steep gully’’ in deep snow drifts, huddled on the edge of a tree line about 1460 metres above sea level and well outside the ski area boundary.

Ski teams were unable to reach the woman, Smith said, so a helicopter dropped a rescuer to her, who managed to pull her out of the chest–deep snow.

The woman was then helped to a suitable location to allow the helicopter to hover–load her on board.

‘‘She was mildly hypothermic but otherwise OK, just extremely grateful we’d managed to find her,’’ Smith said.

People really needed to follow safety advice while on the mountain, he said.

‘‘Skiers leaving the ski field boundary should always be travelling with at least one other person, and be carrying a transceiver, shovel and a probe at a minimum.

‘‘She is one very lucky woman,’’ Smith said.