Fresh attempt to recover Routeburn Track tramper's body

Police are preparing to make a fresh attempt to recover the body of a Czech tramper who fell to his death while walking the Routeburn Track in Fiordland National Park.

In a "highly unusual" case, the man's female travelling companion spent almost a month in a Department of Conservation warden's hut after his death, before the pair were reported missing on Wednesday and she was rescued.

The two Czech trampers were reported overdue on Wednesday. Photo: Instagram/jonesay10

Attempts to recover the man's body on Thursday were thwarted by the weather and the nature of the terrain.

Conditions permitting, the recovery team will make another bid on Friday morning.

The pair, aged in their late 20s and early 30s, set off from Glenorchy on July 26.

The man's fall came two days later and the woman then spent three nights in the open before reaching the Lake Mackenzie hut 2km away.

Both police and DOC staff say the woman did the right thing to stay put in the intervening period as she waited for help to arrive.

The Mackenzie Hut. Photo: Google Maps

"Her physical capabilities and the injuries that she had meant she just couldn't' walk," Otago Lakes-Central area commander Inspector Olaf Jensen said.

"Given her experience and the avalanche risk, she decided it was best for her safety to remain in the hut and that was the correct decision to make."

Police have interviewed the woman, who Mr Jensen said been through "a traumatic experience".

In terms of physical injuries, she had suffered minor frostbite and possibly hypothermia, and was taken to hospital, but required only an examination.

DOC's Wakatipu operations manager Geoff Owen said warden's huts were closed for the winter and the woman did the right thing to force her way in.

He said there would have been heating in the hut and there might have been food left behind by wardens.

"Given the time she was out there, I have to say her last decision was a very good one to just hunker down and wait for someone to come along."

Mountain Safety Council chief executive Mike Daisely told ONE News on Thursday that "it's particularly unusual to spend a month in a hut on the track, especially at this time of year, it is questionable."

Lake Mackenzie, a key feature of the Routeburn Track. Photo: Keri Moyle

However he said the woman had "seen a very tragic event unfold".

"No-one can know her state of mind… and her decision to stay may have been due to extreme weather and the trauma of witnessing such an event unfold."

He said the case highlighted how crucial it was to leave details of plans when you embark on walks as this "would have triggered a Search and Rescue operation a lot sooner".

Today police said the woman's partner fell down a steep slope on July 28, four days after they started their tramp.

"She managed to reach him. However, it's believed he died not long after," Inspector Olaf Jensen said.

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"She then made her way to a hut where she has been since early August.

"The woman was taken to hospital for assessment and thankfully is in good health, although she is understandably upset by these events."

A tramper pauses for a photo on the Routeburn Track. Photo: Department of Conservation

It was a highly unusual case, Inspector Jensen said.

"It very unusual for someone to be missing in the New Zealand bush for such a long period without it being reported.

"I appreciate there are a number of unanswered questions. However, until we can piece together exactly what has happened we are unable to say anything further."

NZME reported that the police had interviewed the woman for five hours in hospital last night as they tried to establish exactly what happened.

It is understood that Victim Support was also working with the young woman.

Geoff Owen, the Department of Conservation's Wakatipu operations manager, told NZME huts were not regularly checked during the off season.