Motorcyclists rescued by police after getting trapped by heavy rain in bush north of Wellington

The men built a shelter from ferns to stay dry. Photo / Police

Police have rescued two men who rode their motorcycles into the Akatarawa Forest, north of Wellington, and got into difficulties due to heavy rain.

The men, aged 32 and 37, intended to ride their motorcycles from Karapoti Road to Orange Hut, where they would meet a friend and stay two nights, a police statement said.

There was heavy rain in the area on Friday, which caused river levels to rise. When the men failed to arrive at the hut by dark, a friend became concerned and raised the alarm.

Two police Search and Rescue members and a local 4x4 club member with extensive experience searched for the men.

The pair was located about 3am on Saturday near the bottom of the Devil’s Staircase - a steep, technical section of track in a remote valley.

“They got into difficulty after going down the Rock Garden and trying to come up the Devil’s Staircase. A lot of people have been caught out in that area over the years; it is incredibly steep, slippery, and rutted.

“One of the men had injured his knee while trying to haul one of the motorcycles up a steep drop. Due to the injury, he wouldn’t have been able to move the bikes up any further and would’ve had great difficulty walking out.”

Police praised the men’s actions after they realised they were in trouble.

“They were well-prepared and had built themselves a shelter from ferns to try to keep dry. They had sleeping bags, food and warm clothing with them, and managed to get a fire going before the rain set in. Once they realised they weren’t going to be able to get out, they stayed together and stayed put. They made themselves quite visible and easy to find.”

Along with warm clothes, food and water, police also recommend that people going outdoors take a map, GPS, and emergency shelter, and make sure someone knows their intentions.

Personal locator beacons are highly recommended for anyone planning on regular excursions into the outdoors.