Mt Aspiring tramper found alive by Alpine Rescue

Searchers have reached the 29-year-old Australian climber stranded high up on Mt Aspiring.

The army captain is alive and "in good spirits" despite having slight frostbite, according to Maritime NZ. An Alpine Rescue team is now with him near the Bonar Glacier and his family has been notified. 

The rescue team was dropped off about a kilometre away from the man and hiked in after a paramedic spotted him from the air.

Two rescue helicopters have gone back to base to refuel, but weather permitting, plan to return to winch them up tonight.

He's expected to be flown to Dunedin Hospital if the group are airlifted off tonight.

The team have carried in extra equipment and food in case they have to hunker down for the night in the cold conditions.

The man entered the Mt Aspiring National Park on Friday and was meant to have returned on Monday. He was reported missing on Tuesday.

At the time of his rescue he had been on his own for almost a week in freezing conditions, facing winds of up to 50-60km/h as well as heavy snow.

Rescue Coordination Centre NZ says his ordeal should serve as a warning for other would-be climbers that they must be properly prepared and carry a beacon in winter. 

Newshub.