A snowboarder is tonight in Middlemore Hospital with spinal injuries after an accident on the slopes of Turoa.

The 22-year-old man was injured when he went over a 10 meter bluff in poor visibility on the Turoa Ski Field on Mt Ruapehu.

He was initially airlifted to the Turoa Medical Centre by the Taupo Rescue Helicopter, then transferred north by the The Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter.