My climbing partner and I arrived in Mt Cook Village planning to traverse the Kirikirikatata range from Mt Wakefield to Ball Pass, but the route was closed due to a 1080 drop. We quickly changed plans and decided to attempt Mt Dark in the Ben Ohau range, approaching via Bush Stream.

After a great climb through the valley, we reached the Back Bush Stream basin and chose a scree ramp to ascend. As we pushed higher, we became slightly separated, with me above my partner. At around 2000m, I found a potential campsite and climbed a short bluff above it to scope the final section, still carrying my full pack.

At the top, I paused to take in the view and photograph a couple of tahr nearby. With daylight fading, I began descending and warned my partner not to follow. About five meters from the bottom, the rock beneath my foot gave way and I began tumbling down the slope, picking up speed across the steep scree.

I eventually came to a stop, battered but conscious. After checking myself over, I thought I had escaped with mostly cuts and a broken finger. But when my partner tried to help me up, I felt severe pain in my lower back and knew something was wrong.

At that point, I activated my ACR ResQLink PLB. Almost exactly two hours later, the Southern Lakes Rescue Helicopter SAR team arrived. I was winched out on a backboard, along with my partner, and flown to safety.

Remarkably, despite falling around five meters off the bluff and tumbling more than 30 meters down rocky terrain, I did not suffer any lasting injuries. This experience was a powerful reminder of how quickly things can change in the mountains and the importance of carrying a PLB.