A group of Chinese nationals visiting Tasmania was suffering from the cold and experiencing other difficulties when another group of hikers found them at Cradle Mountain on Friday afternoon, Tasmania Police said.
The second group contacted emergency services but extreme weather prevented authorities from deploying a helicopter to the area.
Rescuers went in to find them on foot and camped with the group overnight until they could make their way back out on Saturday morning.
One woman was confirmed dead. The others were not physically injured.
The hikers did not have the appropriate equipment, including a personal locator beacon, so they could not raise the alarm, Tasmania Police Inspector Steve Jones said.
"Unfortunately, they were not prepared for bushwalking and found themselves overwhelmed by the extreme weather conditions," he said. Â
"Tasmania's weather can change very quickly, particularly in the alpine areas.
"This means there are times such as this when we can't deploy the helicopter and it takes time for a ground search and rescue team to walk into remote areas."
Bushwalkers in the Tasmanian wilderness are urged to carry warm clothing, food, water, a charged phone, a map, emergency communication devices and other equipment at all times.
9°C