A man has died after slipping and falling while back-country skiing with another man near Treble Cone yesterday.
Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen said it took rescue teams an hour to find the man, indicating he had ''fallen a fair way''.
He could not confirm the nationality of the men.
An Alpine Cliff Rescue spokesman, who asked not to be named, confirmed the 22-year-old slipped in icy conditions in an area behind Treble Cone skifield.
''He was ski-touring at the time. One [of the men] has taken a slip on some firm ice [and] he was unable to stop himself,'' the spokesman said.
''It's an unfortunate incident and the fault of no-one.''
The conditions were clear at the time of the accident but it had been cold and ''icy early morning'', he said.
The second man raised the alarm about 1.10pm.
Rescue teams took about an hour to find the pair, which was ''quite a rapid response'', the spokesman said.
A Treble Cone ski area spokesman said the accident was not within its boundary but the men were skiing ''off the back of the summit''.
Police were working to advise the family of the accident.
