Five rescuers from LandSAR Ruapehu Alpine Rescue Organisation (RARO) located the 27-year-old hiker about 7pm yesterday, and were helping him down Mt Ngauruhoe.
The man’s friends reported him missing at 2.30pm when he had not arrived at the Ketetahi carpark - as the group had arranged.
The man was one of 14 Aucklanders who set out on the crossing. Being of varying levels of fitness and enthusiasm, the group split into several smaller ones as the day progressed.
Senior Constable Barry Shepherd said officers were able to send a message to the hiker’s cell phone and determined his location using MobileLocate.
“The Greenlea rescue helicopter was dispatched from Taupo but low cloud prevented it getting into the Mangatepopo Valley,” Shepherd said.
“Two RARO teams headed up the valley on foot and the first team got to the man just below the Ngauruhoe summit at 7pm.”
Shepherd said the team had made a “sterling effort” finding the man in zero visibility, strong wind and freezing temperatures.
