Police have named the volunteer Department of Conservation hut warden who was found dead near a rural Canterbury hut during his first week in the role.
Calvin Lim (29) of Christchurch died in a fall near Pinnacles Hut at Mt Somers. The area is in the foothills of the Southern Alps, west of Ashburton.
"Our thoughts are with Calvin's family and friends at this time," police said.
On Friday, Andy Roberts, told Newstalk ZB that Lim loved being in the outdoors and was "really excited" about the opportunity, the department's eastern South Island operations' director.
"It's just a very, very sad situation."
Lim , who was a warden at Woolshed Creek Hut, was reported overdue at 4.30pm on Friday and phone polling over the next few hours indicated the man's phone was at one location.
A helicopter was sent and the man's body found just before 10pm, police said.
"It appears that he had fallen near Pinnacles Hut."
Roberts said the man was not involved in hut-related duties when he died.
"It seems he was out for a walk, he was well off the track ... he's been up on the side of Mt Somers and fallen in a very bluffy area."
The death has been referred to the coroner, and the department would also investigate, Roberts said.
