Climber Falls Nearly 2,000 Feet From New Zealand Mountain, Walks Away With Minor Injuries

A climber who fell nearly 2,000 feet down the side of Mount Taranaki on New Zealand's North Island this weekend survived with only minor injuries. The climber, who has not been identified, was part of a group that was attempting to scale the mountain when he lost his footing and slipped. He fell down a steep slope, tumbling over rocks and ice.

According to the New Zealand Police, police were alerted that a climber had fallen while climbing with a group around the creator entrance, near the summit, at 12 p.m. on Saturday, September 9. Having watched their fellow climber slide down the mountain and out of view, another member of the group climbed down to try and locate them.

A member of the Taranaki Alpine Rescue team responded quickly to help locate a fallen climber on Mount Taranaki this weekend. The rescue member happened to be climbing in the area at the time of the accident. The climber was located by their fellow group member, and the Alpine Rescue climber had minor injuries. They had lost their ice axe and crampons during the fall. The rescue member helped the climber down the mountain, where they were reunited with the rest of their group.

"Thanks to recent spring weather, the ice had softened, and the snow caught the climbers fall. He is exceptionally lucky to be alive. These are challenging areas, and when things go wrong, there are often serious consequences," the police said in a news release.

As per the police statement, the incident occurred in the exact location where, tragically, two climbers lost their lives two years ago.