Woman survives month in New Zealand mountains after partner died on hike

A Czech woman was found alive on Wednesday in a remote mountain cabin in New Zealand after her and her partner had not been heard from since late July

A Czech woman was found alive on Wednesday in a remote mountain cabin in New Zealand after a search and rescue team set out to find her and her partner when concerns were raised with police that the couple had not been heard from since late July. She reportedly told police she spent a month there alone after her partner fell and died on a hiking trail.

The woman was found at a warden’s hut on the famous Routeburn track.

According to police the couple started the walk on 26 July and the man fell down a steep slope on 28 July. The woman said she climbed down the slope and reached him but he died shortly afterwards.

Since then, the woman said, she had been living in a warden’s hut that was left locked and unattended for the winter at Lake Mackenzie, about halfway along the 32km track.

The police said that after her partner’s death, the woman spent three nights in the bush before making her way to the Lake Mackenzie hut on 31 July where she broke in and used its supplies of food, firewood and gas.

There was a mountain radio in the hut but the woman was unable to operate it, Jensen said. During her month-long stay she felt unable to walk out due to her own injuries and conditions that included up to a metre of snow and the risk of avalanches.