As New Zealand heads into summer, Kiwis are being urged to do their homework before hitting the hills for a hike.
More than 500 trampers are rescued in New Zealand every year, and the Mountain Safety Council has launched seven new safety videos to try and change that.
Hiking is something New Zealanders love with more than 1.2 million Kiwis hitting the hills and going tramping every year - but hundreds of them end up being rescued.
Experienced tramper Glenn McGovern came close to being one of them when he got into trouble in the Tararua Ranges.
"I didn't realise I was starting to get hypothermic," McGovern tells Newshub.
He considered letting off his personal locator beacon but realised help couldn't get to him.
"There was no chance of the helicopter landing in those conditions and that it was two days for anyone to rescue us on foot," he says.
Luckily he made it back to the hut where he was able to warm up.
This is a scary situation the Mountain Safety Council wants to prevent. They're releasing safety videos of seven tramps including the Alpine Route, Red Hills, Gillespie Pass and Copland Valley.
"If you were swept into this river it would likely be fatal," the narrator of one of the safety videos says.
A lot of effort went into the videos as the council's team hiked 250 kilometres to gather information and footage of the unique hazards.
They choose popular routes with a history of problems.
"High winds or high exposures, or very cold rivers that come up," Mike Daisley of the Mountain Safety Council tells Newshub. "That's what is particular about each track video which is unique to that track."
The Mountain Safety Council's new 'Plan My Walk' app now has 19 safety videos in total.
You can find out specific track information before you hit the trail or what the weather is doing, what to wear and pack and who to tell about your plans.
"There's quite a difference if you're doing a three-day multi-day trip versus a two-hour walk in the hills behind the city," Daisley says.
And with the international border still closed, more Kiwis than ever are exploring their backyard.
Watch the full story above.
