KEY POINTS:
A young Italian climber who had his hand partially amputated by a falling rock in Mt Cook National Park today had ignored advice not to climb in The Footstool area.
The 23-year-old was flown to Timaru Hospital this morning after his two companions alerted emergency services by cellphone about 8.45am.
Department of Conservation (DOC) acting Aoraki/Mt Cook area manager Don Bogie said initial reports that the climber was injured after sliding some 300m on ice were incorrect.
Instead, it appeared the injured climber was belaying his companions on the east face of The Footstool when a falling rock crushed his hand.
The DOC Aoraki/Mt Cook alpine rescue team co-ordinated the rescue using a helicopter with a strop to recover him, then returned for his companions.
"It's a very unpleasant place," Mr Bogie said.
"The previous day, two of our mountaineering staff had advised them not to try that climb because it's in poor condition."
It appeared the Italians ignored the advice.
Mr Bogie said the climb the party was attempting was "only really on" when it was well covered in snow and ice.
"At the moment it's mainly bare rock and poor-quality rock."
Mr Bogie said the Mt Cook area was experiencing a "very dry summer" and a lot more rock was exposed than usual at this time of year.
"Most people are making good decisions and going to where the rock is sound," he said. "These guys didn't."
Mr Bogie said people could go where they wanted in the national park, "but our advice to them is that a lot of routes traditionally on at this time of year have got less snow on them than usual".
"The routes with more stable rock are the ones to do."
- NZPA
