A 20-year-old man has been rescued after he was caught in a blizzard near Mount Buller in the Victorian Alps.
Emergency services were notified close to 9pm on Tuesday that the man had been caught in the Alpine National Park by the inclement weather.
“Contact was made by satellite phone and he [has] camped in place,” a police statement said.
“Police want to remind the community that the weather can change dramatically in the [Alpine region] and to check conditions and warnings prior to their trip.”
Police are advising people to be prepared for sudden changes in weather. (Supplied: Rhylla Morgan)
It is believed the man became stranded on the Australian Alps trail south of Mount Buller near Mount Skene.
Victoria Police Senior Sergeant Geoff Hutchinson said the man was on a 21-day hike when he used his handheld GPS device to call for help.Â
“He realised he wasn’t set up to be walking through snow,” Senior Sergeant Hutchinson said.Â
“He set off an emergency beacon and used the satellite function to message for help.Â
“You need to plan for the worst-case scenario. If it looks like there’s storms and rain coming, it could well bring snow as well.”
‘A lot of contingencies’
In a separate incident also on Tuesday, emergency services were called to the alpine resort before 6pm to help 49-year-old Ballarat woman Elizabeth Marsden, who was unable to continue hiking a planned 28-day walk.
Crews reached her before midnight and she was transported to Mansfield.
Senior Sergeant Hutchinson said both hikers were rescued uninjured, and were equipped for rain conditions, but were not prepared for the snow.Â
Ms Marsden said blizzard hit just as she summitted Mount McDonald, south of Mount Buller, on Tuesday.Â
She said she tried to get warm, but was forced to call one of her support people for advice.Â
“I noticed there was quite a lot of snow on my tent, and then I also noticed I was shivering quite a lot,” she said.Â
After fearing she was suffering from hypothermia, Ms Marsden said she continued on to reach a lower elevation where police were able to pick her up.Â
“I walk quite a bit alone, I have a lot of contingencies,” she said.Â
“It wasn’t a hard decision, particularly once I realised that the shivering had started and wasn’t going to stop.
“And I knew the weather was going to get worse, so I just got out of there.”
Ms Marsden said she would continue her walk along the 655km Australian Alps walking trail from Mount Hotham, and return to continue the section she missed once the weather improved.Â
Snowy summers common in the alpine region
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) told Victorian Statewide Mornings that Mount Buller topped the list of the heaviest rainfall in Victoria over the 24 hours up to 9am, recording 46 millimetres.
“Certainly it is cold enough that any of the rainfall falling up in the mountains late yesterday and today may well be falling as snow,” said BOM weather forecaster Christie Johnson.
Mount Buller spokesperson Rhylla Morgan said locals had been surprised by the sudden snowfall, but the event was not unusual.
“We’ve probably got about 12 or 13 centimetres on the ground here this morning,” Ms Morgan said.
“One of the things about being up in the High Country is that although it’s unexpected, this type of cold snap can and does happen.”
Twelve to 13 centimetres of snow has fallen on parts of Mount Buller overnight. (Supplied: Rhylla Morgan)
She said those wanting to take part in green season activities like mountain bike riding or walking needed to be prepared and pack appropriate clothing.
“The rock wire climb up off the summit will not be happening … with all of this snow, but we’ll be back into green season mode in a few days,” she said.
“If you’re going for a drive in a little two-wheel-drive car and you don’t have any wheel chains, you could get yourself stuck when snow comes in quickly like this.”
She also said anyone planning to head up the mountain should either drive a four-wheel-drive or have wheel chains if the weather looked like it was turning.