Two injured climbers stranded nearly 2500 metres up Aoraki/Mount Cook have been airlifted to safety, the Department of Conservation says. 

Helicopter crews were able to reach the men just before 8.30am on Saturday after they spent two days hunkered down in Empress hut - beneath the west face of the mountain. 

Aoraki Search and Rescue supervisor George Loomes said the men were in good spirits and had been well prepared for a long stay in the mountains. 

Loomes praised the efforts of the pilots and crews for the Helicopter Line who managed to reach the men through a short window of good weather in extremely challenging terrain. 

Poor weather conditions had meant rescuers were unable to reach the men any earlier. 

The Aoraki Mt Cook Alpine Rescue Team remained in communication with the men while they were at the hut. 

The pair were said to have had enough food and water for an extended day - but it was understood they may have suffered from frostbite. 

Bianca Bratton from the Mountain Safety Council was well abreast of the challenging terrain. 

“It goes without saying that these areas up in our high alpine are some of the country’s most remote and wild environments so they are particularly volatile,” she told Checkpoint on Friday. 

Bratton said the men were in the best place at the hut while they awaited rescue. 

Two climbers have been rescued from high up at Aoraki/Mt Cook this morning after weather cleared. Photo / George Heard 

The DoC huts “definitely don’t have your creature comforts,” Bratton said, with no shower, comfortable couch or wifi. 

But they did have radios, she said. 

Frostbite was a big risk in the cold temperatures, Bratton said. It can affect the fingers, toes, nose or other extremities. 

Conditions were ‘volatile’ 

The day before the heroic rescue, an expert opened up on the conditions the trapped duo could be battling. 

Bratton - who was not involved in the rescue - sid the conditions could be “particularly volatile”. 

The climbers were in the best place by staying at the hut, she said at the time. 

“At the moment it’s not possible to get a team in on foot so they’ll be waiting for a clearance to get the helicopter to fly in and take the pair out. 

There were fears the duo were battling frost bite before they were rescued.Photo / Doug Sherring 

“Most critically, the huts do provide a refuge for climbers like these people from the snow and the wind and they do provide a small amount of insulation from the cold.” 

The climbers were well prepared for their adventure, Bratton said. 

“They really should have food to get them through to the next break in the weather. 

“These routes to and from the huts are really only appropriate for experienced mountaineers so I hope that they are equipped, and it sounds as though they’ve got everything they need to wait it out until rescue is a possibility.” 

Spring conditions can be volatile and the recent weather has been unpredictable across the Southern Alps. 

“I know that new snow is predicted over these next couple of days.” 

Frostbite is a risk in the cold temperatures, Bratton said. It can affect the fingers, toes, nose or other extremities. 

“The good thing is they’re in touch with their search and rescue team. They do have medical advice to help them treat it in the interim. It’s not clear at the moment exactly how serious their frostbite is.” 

More to come 

-Bill Hickman, RNZ