Search and rescue personnel have been called out after an avalanche in the Remarkables mountain range near Queenstown.

A police spokeswoman initially said they were responding to a land rescue incident "one ridge over from The Remarkables ski field".

Police were contacted at 1.43pm, she said.

The Remarkables ski area manager Ross Lawrence said there had been an avalanche at the area known as the Scarpa Run, outside the skifield.

Responders were trying to confirm nobody had been caught up in it, he said.

The New Zealand Avalanche Advisory says the Queenstown area is currently at level 3 - "considerable risk".