Two people have been rescued from the Tararua Range after being forced off the track by extreme winds.
The pair were out tramping on Monday afternoon when the weather turned and forced them to activate their emergency locater beacon near Girdlestone, west of Masterton.
Search and Rescue groups from Wellington, Wairarapa and Horowhenua responded as well as a Royal New Zealand Air Force helicopter.
The pair were rescued from a ridgeline above waterfalls at 5pm.
"This is a timely reminder to always have a beacon on hand when exploring the outdoors," Sergeant Tony Matheson said.
"Beacons are a lifesaving tool which allows rescue teams to respond to your location as soon as possible."
"The beacon was a significant factor in their rescue - but they were also well-equipped. This is essential to ensure survivability when visiting wilderness areas where the weather can be more extreme".
