My partner and I were doing the beautiful Tongariro Northern Circuit from Whakapapa Village. On Day 2, we had done the Devil’s staircase, crossed the South Crater and Red Crater, had negotiated the scree section on the descent and were approaching Emerald Lake when my foot slipped.

I guess it must have hit a stationary rock because I managed to break my ankle in three spots. Once we realised what had happened and that I couldn’t walk out of the Park, I activated my ResQLink PLB.

The Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was with me in good time, given the distance it had to travel to get to my location and airlifted me to hospital.