Tramper's close call near Alpha hut, Tararuas

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/82938455/perilous-helicopter-rescue-in-subzero-temperatures I hope this person is ok. The article says he was stuck at Hell's Gate (a steep pass at approx. 1000m altitude), just below Alpha Hut on the Southern Crossing of the Tararuas for 2 days. Maybe he slipped on that section and couldn't move far? Or he wasn't sure of where he was because of the snow? It's hard to know. I have been thinking of doing winter trips in the Tararuas, but it's hard to know how much snow is up on the mountain tops at any one time or how dangerous it will be. The past weekend though has been a particularly bad southerly with snow throughout the south island and hawkes bay. It would be handy if there was a webcam or something so you could see how much snow was on the main range. It sounds like a really close call for this person, and I think it's easier to be caught out by a bad storm than most people think, and to be underprepared, as I've found in summer tramps when it's started snowing in the mountains and we weren't prepared with gloves and full winter gear.