On the 17/7/14 a climbing party were near the top of the Grand Gully in the Pinnacles on the North Side of Mt Ruapehu adjacent to the Whakapapa Ski Area when one of the members fell the entire way to the Broken Leg Gully. Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL) ski patrollers were alerted to the fall by witnesses and a RARO operation was initiated. Once on scene the patrollers managed the patient who had a head injury amongst other suspected spinal injuries due to the high mechanics involved in the fall. He was moved down from the Broken Leg Gulley to the Whakapapa Urgent Care Clinic managed by RAL so that he could be seen by the medical team there prior to being transferred to hospital. The rest of the climbing party was left stranded at the top of Grand Gully and a RARO team climbed to their aid – eventually getting picked up by the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter. Overall, a good reminder that these incidents happen and that RARO needs to retain technical climbing competency within it’s membership.
