At 10:11am on Friday morning, Alpine Rescue Canterbury was contacted by RCC to respond to a emergency beacon activation on tops of the Arthur Range, Kahurangi National Park. A tramper had fallen down steep terrain from the ridge line. They had sustained multiple fractures and internal lacerations. Due to the remote location, traumatic injuries, and …
Mt Cupola Rescue – 18 July 2025
At 11:19 am on Friday July 18th, ARC received notification that a PLB had been activated on the northeastern aspect of Mt Cupola in Nelson Lakes National Park. Two team members responded quickly, presenting at the GCH hanger where equipment for a possible technical winter alpine rescue was prepared for departure in the Westpac AIRMED …
Mt Rolleston Rescue – 1 March 2025
At 1:13 PM on Saturday, 1st March, our team was notified of a PLB activation on the north side of Mt Rolleston. Initial aerial reconnaissance by the Greymouth Rescue Helicopter located two young climbers approximately 300 meters up a cliff face adjacent to the Otira Face. The climbers were roped together, approximately 30 meters apart; …
Combined cliffside rescue training
Our team recently joined DOC Aoraki Mountain Rescue and Wakatipu Search & Rescue for some combined training. Whilst mountain rescue teams are based in different regions throughout NZ, we all have an important job to do and sometimes we even respond to call outs together. Sharing ideas and operational procedures is invaluable for staying up …
Sharing Intentions in Hut Books
Our team attended a rescue callout recently in the Arthur's Pass area with our local Rescue Helicopter. The callout required us to fly to the nearby Barker Hut to determine which group we were trying to locate. One person who was chilling at the hut told us that there were 3 pairs plus a solo …
Mt Rolleston Otira Slide Rescue – 18 February 2024
Sunday afternoon at 1545 our team was tasked by Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) to a rescue on Otira Slide, just below the summit of Mt Rolleston Low Peak. Operation Summary One member of a party of four climbers was hit by rockfall, causing them to fall down the mountain, suffering severe head trauma and other …
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Canterbury SAREX – 6 August 2023
Alpine Rescue Canterbury took part in an Avalanche SAREX this weekend in Craigieburn's Tarn Basin. A fantastic opportunity for the many Canterbury SAR groups and teams to come together to test the Canterbury Avalanche Rescue Plan. The realistic scenario exercise involved using helicopter access from Texas Flat up to an avalanche in Tarn Basin burying …
Castle Hill Peak Rescue – 30 July 2023
On Sunday 30 July, our team rescued an injured skier off the side of Castle Hill Peak. Two ARC team members winched down to the skier and two snowboarders who had come to his aid. All of the party were able to be winched off the slopes and the skier received the medical care he …
Mt Aicken Rescue – 16 June 2023
June 18th 2023 Alpine Rescue Canterbury (ARC) was tasked at 0815 hours by Rescue Coordination Centre NZ (RCC) to assist with the rescue of a man stuck on Mt Aicken in Arthur's Pass. Earlier that morning, as the man neared the summit of Mt Aicken (1863m), a slurry of mud and rock had spontaneously released, …
Intentions
Leaving good intentions is essential for all back country users. The advantage of intentions being with someone near and dear is they know you well, know how to contact you/where you live and are going to fight like hell to make sure the authorities know you are missing. That being said, it is still all …

