A 27-year-old Wānaka climber/snowboarder was airlifted to Southland Hospital after slipping backwards, falling over a steep cliff, dropping twenty metres then sliding another thirty metres into the Grand Couloire on the Remarkables.

Police say the man suffered a badly broken arm and possible head injury in the fall from the top of the popular shute, which starts between Single and Double Cone close to the summit of the Remarkables running down to Lake Alta.

Remarkables Ski Area ski patrollers assisted an Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter’s paramedic to get to the man, who was believed to have been crossing the Grand Traverse with a skier friend, after they activated a personal locator beacon, around 3pm on Monday (July 7).

Police had the Wakatipu Alpine Cliff Rescue Team on standby due to the steep, tricky terrain but they were stood down, with the paramedic able to get to the man.

Cliff Rescue Team co-ordinator Russ Tilsley said he believes the paramedic was winched into a point 5-6 metres below the patient, climbing up then winching him out.

“I understand they’d come over the top of the GT [Grand Traverse] and stopped halfway to ski Grand Couloire, but conditions are patchy as is usual this early in the season,” Russ said.

“He’s probably slipped on ice, but he was a bit beaten up. I believe he may have also injured a rib.”

Russ said the snow cover is not that great and it was likely quite icy and people need to be aware that they’re in mountainous terrain and cover can be patchy this early in the season.

A St John Ambulance spokesperson said they were notified at 3.12pm on Monday and dispatched two helicopters. The patient was assessed at the scene then airlifted to Southland Hospital in a moderate condition.

PHOTO: David Maunsell