Canterbury police search and rescuers recovered the remains from the Tasman Glacier area of Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park only weeks after the discovery of a set of human remains nearby last month.
Two Spanish climbers made the most recent discovery last week.
Department of Conservation ranger Shirley Slatter believes the latest remains are probably those of a 19-year-old South Island man who went missing after an avalanche near the top of the glacier on September 16, 1973.
''We presume it's that person, but until police release a name, we can't say who it is,'' Ms Slatter said.
Doc ranger Ray Bellringer said climbing gear and clothing found with the body fitted with records of the missing climber.
Another clue was its location in that area of the national park, he said.
''It's quite rare for an accident to happen there.''
The Otago Daily Times reported on September 18, 1973, that David Noen, of Invercargill, and his 64-year-old companion William Richards were killed in the avalanche.
Searchers on the day found the body of Mr Richards, from Bargo, in New South Wales, half buried in snow, the report said.
They recovered Mr Noen's pack and glasses.
The search for his body was abandoned because of a threatening cornice (an overhanging mass of hardened snow) above the search area.
The climbers had been walking from a ski plane to the Tasman Saddle hut when the cornice collapsed above them and swept them away.
There are 62 bodies still missing in the national park.
Canterbury police rural area commander Inspector David Gaskin said all human remains recovered by police were referred to the coroner to make a determination on the identity and, if possible, the cause of death.
He would not speculate as to the identity of either of the victims.
''The two discoveries are from separate incidents and are unrelated,'' Insp Gaskin said.
''We work closely with the families of those missing and hope one day to give them closure when their loved one is recovered and identified.
''The low snowfall over the winter, coupled with the warmer temperatures, could explain why remains are being found more often this year,'' he said.
Ms Slatter said glaciers tended to push rocks and other items upwards, as well as down the slope.
Bodies can be ''quite preserved'' after being frozen under the ice, she said.
Often, bodies were not recovered complete, but scraps of clothing and DNA could provide coroners with enough clues to work from.
- By Kurt Bayer of NZME and Staff reporter