Justine Tyerman/DELIVERED
Two climbers have been caught in an avalanche on Double Cone in the Remarkables Range. (File image)
Two climbers caught in an avalanche dug themselves out of the snow and then spent a night in a snow cave after two rescue attempts failed.
The climbers were caught in an avalanche on Double Cone in the Remarkables Range and were eventually rescued on Wednesday.
Shortly before noon on Tuesday, the police received a report from two people asking for rescue.
The two climbers had been caught in an avalanche, but avoided the funeral and escaped unharmed.
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They arrived in a relatively safe area, but were trapped there because of the avalanche danger, a police spokesman said.
The Alpine Rescue Team tried twice on Tuesday to rescue the climbers by helicopter. Due to bad weather and visibility, both attempts failed.
The climbers were advised to dig a snow cave and shelter overnight, pending a further rescue attempt on Wednesday.
They were experienced in the mountains and well equipped for a night in a snow cave, the spokesman said.
On Wednesday morning, a helicopter with Alpine Rescue Team tried again to reach the pair, but failed again due to weather conditions.
“The helicopter was able to land the Alpine Rescue Team 1.2 km away and 300 meters below the climbers’ position.”
The rescue team made their way through “difficult conditions” to the climbers’ location and contacted them shortly after 10:45 a.m.
The weather conditions had cleared enough by then for the helicopter to reach the party and fly the climbers and crew back to Queenstown.
“The climbers were shocked by the event and felt they could not have made it down the mountain without help, due to the dangerous avalanche conditions,” the spokesman said.