Trampers on the Routeburn Track will get a helicopter lift over a section that is at high avalanche risk, courtesy of the Department of Conservation Wakatipu area office.
Six trampers from New Zealand, Australia, Germany and Belgium were escorted by a Doc warden to the assembly point for the first scheduled flight by Heliworks yesterday.
The service will operate for about the first three weeks of the Great Walks summer season, which opened this week, until the avalanche risk subsides and the section is deemed passable for trampers.
The helilift's departure and landing will depend on where the snow is, but the service will take trampers from the Harris Basin, above Routeburn Falls, south, to Lake Mackenzie Hut.
The now 10-minute flight will become shorter as snow melts.
Doc Queenstown Regional Visitor Centre supervisor Andrew Evans said there was a high avalanche risk above the bluffs surrounding Lake Harris, between Routeburn Falls and Mackenzie Hut.
Snow showers this week have added to it.
The Routeburn Track was not an all-weather, all-seasons crossing, he said.
"The track is open for the Great Walks season. However, as of Tuesday, the alpine crossing of the Harris Saddle is closed to trampers.
"To manage this situation, we're offering a helilift for trampers from the Lake Harris outlet over the saddle and down to Mackenzie Hut."
Doc community relations programme manager John Roberts said the initiative was designed to allow the Great Walks season begin on its scheduled date, despite unsettled spring conditions.
Mr Evans said he saw three snow slides within 30 minutes from the Lake Harris bluff last week.
"Even small slides can contain hard ice and rock debris, which is sufficient to knock people off their feet and over bluffs below."
• Helilifts by Heliworks are $55 per person. Bookings at the Doc Queenstown Regional Visitor Centre on Shotover St.
