AN "unbelievably difficult" rescue effort was needed to help an injured Albury skier on Mount Bogong, according to one of his emergency service helpers.
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The Albury man, 44, finally reached a road ambulance at 1pm Thursday, more than 40 hours after hurting his leg on Tuesday evening.
Numerous bids were made to winch the skier from the mountain with an air ambulance but poor weather conditions left rescuers having to bring him down in a stretcher.
Bright State Emergency Service member Barrett Higman said the skier had crashed in a gully and had to be hauled up to a ridge line.
"He had skied down a back country run and had the accident pretty much at the bottom,” Mr Higman said.
"We were not sure how far we had to haul him, but we estimate it was 500 to 600 metres."
With only 50 metres of rope, the rescuers dragged the litter-bound skier in short segments while trudging in snow 60cm deep.
The alpine search and survival team member of five years described it as his hardest rescue.
"We were out over 30 hours and the sheer amount of effort to move him to a point where we could get him up that slope was unbelievably difficult,” Mr Higman said.
The man had been skiing with friends and had stayed at Cleve Cole Hut for three days before his accident.
Policeman Sergeant Damian Bould said the man had a suspected broken femur or dislocated hip and was taken to Albury hospital.
Mr Higman who reached the man on Wednesday, said the skier had been covered by a tent supplied by friends on Tuesday night.
"He was aware of everything but in very good spirits,” Mr Higman said.
"He was very quiet and let everyone get on with it.
"He was doing really well for the injuries he had, he was a good patient."
More than 40 emergency service personnel were involved in the retrieval.
The skier spent Wednesday night at Michell Hut.
A final bid to winch him out by chopper was made at 7am Thursday.
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