The trampers managed to get cellphone reception and called for help after losing sight of their track in snow and hail on Saturday.
The group — three 18-year-olds, a 19-year-old and 20-year-old — set off on their tramp about 4.30pm from the end of Six Mile Creek, Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said.
They were university students from a hall of residence in Dunedin.
The weather that day was hazardous with snow, rain and hail falling and extreme wind gusts.
The group ran into trouble when they reached the snowline and lost sight of the track, about 700m away from the Big Hut, Snr Sgt Bond said.
"They hunkered down and called police.
"They were too cold to move and were lost."
A Middlemarch police officer organised a group of local farmers on side-by-sides (UTVs) to travel up the hill before hiking on foot to search for the group.
The students were found, uninjured, and taken back to the Middlemarch fire station.
They were warmed up, given food and drink and checked by Hato Hone St John staff.
Snr Sgt Bond said the group were inexperienced and underprepared.
"But they have made some good decision-making with realising they're at fault, calling police and staying where they are."
NZ Mountain Safety Council chief executive Mike Daisley said the group were lucky to get cellphone coverage and avoid "a tragic outcome".
"Incidents like this highlight the importance for anyone heading into the outdoors to be well prepared."
In a statement on Sunday, police said the group managed to get cellphone reception about 7.30pm to call for help.
They did not have adequate clothing or supplies and were not experienced trampers, Senior Sergeant Blair Dalton said.
"They are extremely fortunate that they were able to call for help in an area with notoriously patchy cellphone coverage."
Otherwise, "we may have been dealing with a tragic situation".
