A mountain climber survived an almost 2000-foot fall from near the summit of one of New Zealand’s highest mountains Saturday, authorities said.
The climber, part of a group climbing Mount Taranaki, was rescued by a group member and a Taranaki Alpine Rescue member and sustained minor injuries, New Zealand Police said in a statement.
The climber “miraculously” survived and is “exceptionally lucky to be alive,” the police added.
The climber, whose ice axe and crampons were lost in the fall, was rekitted and guided back down the rest of the descent to meet the rest of the group.
The spring-softened snow contributed to the climber’s incredible survival on the mountain’s challenging terrain, the statement noted.
Mount Taranaki, at 2518 meters (8261 feet), is the second-highest mountain in New Zealand‘s North Island, New Zealand’s Mountain Safety Council said. Walkers, trampers and climbers are often drawn in the thousands to the mountain’s Summit Track, the only marked path to the summit. However, its mercurial, harsh weather and complex terrain mean that in its distinct environment, “[o]ne mistake can be disastrous.” (RELATED: Scientist Falls 500 Feet To His Death After Hiking App Allegedly Sent Him The Wrong Way)
One person rescued, lucky to be alive after falling 600 meters down Mt Taranaki. https://t.co/dBA6M3qUut pic.twitter.com/ayg1w7kGXJ
— New Zealand Police (@nzpolice) September 11, 2023
Two experienced mountaineers fell 300 meters (984 feet) to their deaths while descending from Mount Taranaki’s summit in May 2021, 1News reported. An investigation reportedly revealed the men, though experienced, underestimated the climb. They reportedly “approached [it] as a day walk, rather than a mountaineering trip.”
The men also reportedly took a dangerous climbing route, and the conditions were dark, snowy and icy all at once. The men were identified as Richard Phillips, 46, and Peter Kirkwood, 33.
Japanese climber Hiroki Ogawa, 31, and New Zealander Nicole Sutton, 29, died in October 2022 on their descent. Rescuers braved inhospitable weather to reach the pair, but were reportedly too late. Ogawa and Sutton had been trapped in high winds on the snow-covered slopes for two nights.