Photo: Bernard Spragg, CC1.0
Two people have been rescued following an avalanche on the Remarkables, Queenstown.
Police say three helicopters were used to fly in ski patrol staff and dog teams from other ski areas just after midday Saturday.
Two people were partially buried in a 3-metre avalanche while skiing and snowboarding southeast of the Sugar Bowl area, at an altitude of nearly 2000 metres.
Russ Tilsley, an Alpine cliff rescue team leader, saw the avalanche happen.
He and some other skiiers searched for the two snowboarders through the debris.
"(It) was pretty hard, because it was big slabby, big chunks of snow like the size of cars.
"It's hard to realise how big these slabs get, how they break up."
Tilsley said it is one of the biggest avalanches he has seen.
"They were pretty shaken up. You know, it was a big avalanche, a pretty harrowing sort of a thing, you know.
"I think they realise they had a pretty close shave."
The crown wall, the start point of the avalanche, was about 2 meters deep and was about 200 meters long.
The avalanche risk is now moderate, 2 out of 5 on a scale of 1-5.
"This is a timely reminder that the risk of avalanches in these conditions is real," a police spokesperson said.
Police advise to always assess the conditions and consult with the Avalanche Advisory, Mountain Safety Council site for up to date conditions.
"Be sure to discuss your plans with ski patrol and be equipped with transceivers, shovels and probes that you know how to use.
"Avalanches are unforgiving and dangerous and anyone in areas of risk should consider the safety of themselves and their group to be paramount."
Police Search and Rescue, Coronet Peak, Remarkables and Cadrona Ski Patrol teams along with three dogs on scene and an incident management team set up at Remarkables base for the rescue.