Skiers freed after being buried in avalanche on Mt Ruapehu
Monday, 21 July 2025
Four skiers were buried on Mt Ruapehu after an avalanche.
One of the people buried only had their hand protruding.
No one was injured in the incident.
Four people were freed after they were buried during an avalanche on Mt Ruapehu on Friday.
According to the New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZAA), the party of six people was ski touring on the mountain’s backcountry, near Glacier Knob.
The avalanche was reported to be 50 metres long and 50m wide at a depth of 40cm.
Four members of the party were partially buried in the avalanche, while one member was buried with only their face and arm free, with one member completely buried and only their hand protruding.
The completely buried person had an airway carved out of the snow within two minutes of the avalanche, and everyone was freed within ten minutes, the NZAA said. No one was injured in the incident.
In a statement, New Zealand Mountain Safety Council chief executive Mike Daisley said the party was “extremely lucky” that no one was hurt.
“It’s the start of the season, so now is the time to think about avalanche safety and ensure you have all the basics covered. If you’re heading into the backcountry, you need the skills, training, and the equipment, and you need to check the avalanche forecast every time,” he said.
According to DOC, avalanches can occur in Tongariro National Park in any season, but are most common from July through to October.
The NZ Avalanche Advisory currently rates the avalanche conditions for Tongariro as “considerable” and recommends people be cautious in their route-finding and remain conservative in their decision-making while in the area.
In August 2024, three close calls from avalanches near ski fields, including near Mount Ruapehu, prompted the NZ Mountain Safety Council to issue a warning.
At the time, Daisley said all slopes beyond ski field boundaries, no matter how close, should be regarded as backcountry terrain and treated accordingly.
“Despite the proximity to a ski field, all backcountry terrain poses inherent risks that skiers and boarders need to be aware of,” he said.
An earlier version of this story said six people were partially buried. There were six people in the group, but only four were partially buried. (Amended at 3pm on July 21.)