One person was rescued from a New Zealand mountain after they fell hundreds of metres down a slope over the weekend.
Police received reports of the fallen climber who had been part of a group climbing Taranaki Maunga at about 2pm on Saturday.
Taranaki Search and Rescue senior constable Vaughan Smith said the person was "lucky to be alive".
Luckily for the fallen climber a Taranaki Alpine Rescue member, who had been climbing in the area at the same time, was able to respond.
"One person was located with minor injuries but without his ice axe or crampons after losing them on the way down," Smith said.
The alpine rescue member re-kitted the climber and assisted the man back down the mountain.
Due to recent spring weather, the ice had softened, and the snow had caught the climber's fall.
"He was lucky to have not sustained any serious injuries."
The man and his climbing partner were heading to the top of the mountain with little experience, knowledge and ill-fitting or wrong equipment, Smith said.
In so many cases, visitors to the maunga are climbing in areas, where if things go wrong, there are serious consequences, he said.
Police are reminding people that are planning a trip up the mountain to let family or friends know where you're going and when to expect you back.
Trampers and climbers can also use the Mountain Safety Council's free planning app, Plan My Walk, and remembering to take a distress beacon could "save your life".
"While New Zealand's mobile phone coverage network is good in urban areas, it's unlikely you'll have reliable coverage in the backcountry or marine areas," Smith said.
Other options for trampers are checking out the AdventureSmart website which provides safety information for a huge range of activities as well as the three safety codes: The Water Safety Code, the Boating Safety Code and the Land Safety Code.
