At 2:53pm on Sunday afternoon, Alpine Rescue Canterbury was tasked by RCC to respond to an emergency beacon activation on the popular Three Passes Route in Arthur’s Pass.
A solo hiker had lost their footing and fallen down the steep bluffs below Mt Isobel. A two-person hasty team was offloaded near the patient, who was unable to move due to traumatic injuries sustained during their fall.
After setting up fixed lines, the patient was moved to a stable ledge where her injuries could be tended to and packaged for transport. At 8:30pm, the clouds cleared enough to winch the patient from the ledge and transport her to Christchurch hospital.
This rescue was a sobering reminder of how easily unmarked hiking routes can veer into technical, high-consequence terrain. The tramper was not familiar with the area and had been attempting to follow an old GPX line from a since eroded goat track.
Unmarked terrain can often change between seasons and storm cycles, meaning previous route descriptions and topo maps can’t always be trusted. Checking local outdoors community groups for recent conditions before trips, and sharing details from your own trips, can go a long way to keeping each other safe in the backcountry.
If you would like to support our team, please consider donating: https://alpinerescuecanterbury.com/donate/. All funds raised go towards team training and equipment.
Alpine Rescue Canterbury 