The search for a 19-year-old skier missing in the Southern Alps since Saturday has been called off.
The Auckland man fell into a crevasse on Mt Rolleston, and although they know where it happened, rescuers have been unable to reach him.
After flying over the mountain in a helicopter on Monday morning, members of the Mt Cook rescue team decided it was too dangerous to put people on the ground.
The police say warm northerly winds have made the snow very unstable, and the risk to rescuers far outweighs the possibility that the missing man might still be alive.
Given the time that has elapsed since the accident, and the conditions he has been exposed to, his survival is considered unlikely.
The missing man was skiing down the mountain with a friend when he fell through an ice-sheet at about 5pm on Saturday. His friend tried for two hours to dig through the snow, then walked to Arthur's Pass and raised the alarm at about 9pm.
His family say they will not release his name until they have been able to tell their closest family members of the accident.
