Missing snowboarder rescued on Coronet Peak

Coronet Peak base. Photo / Supplied

A snowboarder had to be rescued by helicopter near Coronet Peak last night after becoming separated from his friends.

The 30-year-old man from Queenstown went missing around 3pm yesterday in the Greengates section of the ski area.

A search was launched when he failed to return to the bottom of the run and ski patrollers carried out a full sweep of the ski area.

Coronet Peak ski area manager Hamish McCrostie said the snowboarder was found by a helicopter crew equipped with night-vision goggles around 11pm, halfway down Dirty Four Creek towards Skippers Canyon, well outside the ski area boundary.

Mr McCrostie said the man was cold but alive and well and in good spirits, and was "extremely happy" to see the helicopter when it landed on a precipice above him.

"He came running up to the chopper," he said. "He was very lucky it all ended so well."

Conditions on the mountain were cloudy with fog and low visibility when he became separated but weather had cleared in the evening enabling the helicopter to operate.

It was not snowing at the time, Mr McCrostie said.