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The 22-year-old climber injured on Mount Ruapehu has had his right leg amputated below the knee.
Auckland school teacher, William Pike, had both his legs badly crushed after being struck by a boulder which was sent down the mountain following an eruption on Tuesday night.
"He was trapped by a boulder the size of a big bowling ball ... it had come through the front door of Dome Shelter," says head ski patroller Andy Hoyle.
Pike had reportedly been sleeping behind the front door in his sleeping bag.
The eruption happened without warning at 8:23pm, tossing debris nearly two kilometres and sending two lahars (mud and rock debris flows) rushing down the northern and eastern slopes.
The boulder pinned both of Pike's legs and his three companions raced to remove the debris.
"We managed to get his left leg out ... and his right leg was well stuck so we got the shovels out and we started digging," says Pike's friend James Christie.
Christie stumbled down the mountain in the dark to raise the alarm. While waiting for rescue, Pike's body temperature dropped to around 25 degrees and doctors say he was dangerously close to cardiac arrest.
After being trapped for several hours he was freed by a rescue team early on Wednesday morning and was airlifted to Waikato Hospital.
"He was in a very, very serious condition, he was what we call status one, his legs were I understand extremely badly crushed and he was suffering from bad hypothermia," says rescue chopper pilot Simon Lewis.
Pike's parents Barry and Tracy say their son is a passionate climber and is a member of the Alpine Club. "He lives to climb," they said.
"He was in a place that he loved. He is a very conscientious climber and an incredibly active person," said his mother.
Pike underwent surgery on Wednesday afternoon. Waikato Hospital staff say he still suffering damage to his left leg, but they say it is a miracle he survived as his body was close to shutting down.
They say since coming out of theatre, he is conscious, aware of what happened and has been talking with his family.
Officials say the top part of the mountain is out of bounds for
at least the next three days.
