A quick response from the Tauranga-based Aerocool Rescue Helicopter has saved an injured cyclist on a remote trail in the central North Island.

“I am so grateful to the team on the rescue helicopter that came to my aid,” says Christine, whose last name has not been published for privacy reason.

“The crew were so skilled and professional, I felt so relieved to see them and I knew I was in safe hands.”

Christine and her husband Alan, an active Christchurch couple, had planned an adventure-filled holiday for their Easter weekend this year.

They drove up to the central North Island, planning to hike the Tongariro Crossing and then cycle the Pureora Timber Trail. However, snow from the south forced them to shorten their hike on the Tongariro Crossing.

After the weather cleared up, they set out on their Timber Trail adventure, riding the challenging bike trail with friends.

The Timber Trail through Pureora Forest Park. Photo: WaikatoNZ. 

Timber Trail New Zealand follows historic tramways through the ancient native forest of the Pureora Forest Park.

It stretches for 85km between Pureora village and the old logging town of Ongarue, offering riders a backcountry adventure through an area abundant in birdlife.

The trail takes in 42 bridges, including eight suspension bridges, as it winds its way through giant rimu, totara and kahikatea trees.

The longest suspension bridge on the trail is the 141-metre-long Maramataha Bridge, which crosses the Maramataha River near the site of a historic viaduct.

On their second day on the trail, Christine's adventure took an unexpected turn.

The Timber Trail takes in 42 bridges, including eight suspension bridges. The longest suspension bridge is the 141-metre-long Maramataha Bridge. Photo: WaikatoNZ. 

Just beyond the magnificent Maramataha suspension bridge, the trail takes a sharp and tricky uphill bend, then it is a steady 2.5km uphill climb to reach the ridge. 

“During the second day of our Timber Trail ride, I unfortunately failed to navigate a sharp corner just after the swing bridge,” says Christine.

“I fell off my bike, rolled a couple of times, and dropped a short distance off the track painfully onto my shoulder.”

She says thankfully one of the members of their group had a personal locator beacon. Other riders who stumbled across the injured Christine sent a couple of their group members ahead to ask him to come back.

Fortunately, they were able to call for help in the remote area of the forest, which had no mobile phone coverage.

The Aerocool crew responded, and with the GPS coordinates for where Christine lay injured, were soon flying over the forest. 

 “It was a beautiful autumn morning as we descended the western slopes of the Pureora Range where we began to pick up the signal from a personal locator beacon,” says the rescue helicopter pilot. 

“I had ridden the Timber Trail myself just two weeks prior, so as we located Christine and her party near the Maramataha Bridge. I could recall the location where Christine had fallen as the trail veers sharply and begins to climb up the hill immediately after the bridge.”

The rescue helicopter slowed to a hover near a large rimu tree, and the crewman expertly lowered the Critical Care Flight Paramedic down to the clearest area near the end of the bridge, where he swiftly attended to Christine's injuries.

Christine being winched up to the helicopter. Photo: Supplied.

Christine says the CCFP was “very calm, kind and confident; giving me pain relief and putting my arm in a temporary splint to take pressure off my shoulder joint”. 

Christine sustained three fractures in her humerus, through the neck and head of the bone. 

“I’m not great with heights, but the CCFP made me feel secure during the winch up to the rescue helicopter and the subsequent ride to a clearing where they could land safely to transfer me into the aircraft for the flight to Rotorua Hospital,” says Christine. 

 “The team that day enabled me to get prompt medical attention and saved me from a very long, difficult and very painful walk and ride out of the area, and from further injury to the joint.

“A huge thank you to the crew. I really appreciate your kind help. You do such an amazing and important job.” 

The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter team says missions like Christine’s happen every day, and they need donations to support their ongoing work.

“It’s what happens next that makes the difference. You make that difference.”

Donations can be made to Chopper Appeal at https://give.rescue.org.nz/event/aerocool-rescue-helicopter/donate