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Man buried by avalanche rescued near Wānaka (NZ)

A skier has been dug out from under a metre of snow after being caught in an avalanche near Treble Cone. The man, who was with a well-prepared group of five, including three avalance professionals, was dug out from beneath a metre of snow, the Mountain Safety Council said. Incredibly, the man was not injured and did not lose consciousness. He was able to create an air pocket around his face as the avalanche slowed. One of the party was able to notify rescuers immediately using an Inreach device and they were all transported safely back to Treble Cone by helicopter. The event on Monday was the second human-triggered avalanche in the area, with a previous one on Saturday.

A member of the group stated that "We realise we made mistakes, and it's a valuable lesson in recognising that there's times where everyone can let their guard down and get caught out, no matter your skill level or experience." The Mountain Safety Council's chief executive, Mike Daisley, said the group was encouraged out with a brief window of good weather during "a bunch of storms that are thrashing the South Island"."Luckily this group in particular are well prepared. They had the correct equipment and knew how to use it," he said. "They were able to use transceivers and probes to sift through the snow and be able to isolate where the individual had last been seen and start from there. And move pretty quickly.
More ... (RNZ)

Spectacular photos of massive Milford Road avalanche (NZ)

Milford Road has reopened after a series of spectacular avalanches covered the route in snow and debris. Graham Clarke of road maintenance company Downer said the road closed on Saturday night before "a period of significant natural avalanching on Sunday". As the weather cleared on Monday, the Milford Road Alliance were able to trigger avalanches that reduced the risk of further slides, he said. A large amount of snow blocked the highway near the west portal of Homer Tunnel. It was expected to remain closed until Wednesday but crews were able to clear the highway by about noon Tuesday. The avalanche triggering was deemed a success, other than a few smashed up road signs.
More ... (Otago Daily Times)

Heliski guide dies in avalanche (NZ)

Methven Heliski general manager Arthur McBride confirmed the man killed in an avalanche was an employee. “Our guide was a much-loved friend and colleague to all of us, and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.” He said the avalanche happened on Pito Peak in the South Ashburton Range during a guided day with Methven Heliski. “The guide leading the group was buried. He was subsequently located and extracted. Tragically, he did not survive the event.” The remaining skiers were uninjured. McBride said the company had suspended all heli-skiing following the incident. As police and WorkSafe were investigating, the company could not comment further on the incident, but it was co-operating fully, he said.

Rescue pilot Dan McPherson told Stuff a group of people heli-skiing were saved, but, “unfortunately, one person died”. A person caught in the avalanche was recovered and taken to Christchurch Hospital, but they could not be saved, he said. NZ Mountain Safety Council (MSC) chief executive Mike Daisley said the council was devastated to learn of the loss of the guide. “Due to the ongoing incident investigation, MSC will not be making any further comment about the tragedy.”

The NZ Avalanche Advisory, which is owned and operated by MSC, issues avalanche advisories for 13 alpine regions, but that doesn’t include the area around the Arrowsmith Range. The advisories are intended for public recreation only, not for commercial operations, which had their own audited safety management systems. “These operations, such as the guided heli-ski trip [on Wednesday], are undertaken by teams of backcountry avalanche professionals.”
More ... (The Press)