Unprepared hiker rescued after getting trapped on Mount Fromme

Hiker stranded after sliding down snowfield A trip up Mount Fromme turned into a frightening ordeal for a solo hiker on Sunday.

A hiker who headed out onto the North Shore Mountains alone and unprepared had to be rescued by helicopter Sunday evening after sliding down a snowfield.

North Shore Rescue search manager Simon Jackson said the lone hiker did bring along some of the essentials, including a map and compass, but wasn't ready for the snow he encountered near the summit of Mount Fromme.

On his way back down the mountain, the hiker lost the trail and ended up tumbling toward a steep ledge.

"He was trying to navigate back to the trail when he took a slide and got stranded," Jackson said. "Ended up stranded about (30 metres) from a cliff."

Rescuers said the man's footwear wasn't designed for winter conditions and he was wearing shorts, which left him pretty chilly by the time they reached him.

"He wasn't prepared," Jackson said. "That's why he took the slide and ended up in the situation he was."

Fortunately, the hiker wasn't injured, and crews were able to land a helicopter about 400 metres from his position. They helped him to the helicopter and flew him off the mountain.

North Shore Rescue warned anyone thinking about going up into the mountains to check conditions first because the region's recent sunny weather can be misleading.

"There's still a lot of snow up there," Jackson said. "People need to be aware, they need to be fully prepared for these snowy conditions on the North Shore."