Members of public help rescue man after Kauaeranga Valley fall near Thames

Call-outs to the Pinnacles in the Kauaeranga Valley upriver from Thames are becoming more frequent, this being the fourth rescue there this year. Photo / File

Members of the public helped rescue a man who had fallen 3m while hiking the Pinnacles on Saturday morning.

Search and rescue (SAR) and police were unable to extract the man, aged in his 20s, from near the summit due to unstable surrounding terrain.

A large dry tree and loose rocks above the hiker risked blowing onto him by the force of the helicopter, Lincoln Davies, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust communications manager said.

"[The patient] was in an awkward spot where he could fall further down."

Public safety was a key concern with a large number of people located on the track below the man, said Davies.

Crew departed to Waihi to pick up the Land SAR rope qualified team to assist, however, on return found the patient had managed to extract himself with assistance from the public.

The Pinnacles in the Kauaeranga Valley, located upriver from Thames, is a popular intermediate level walk with an eight hour round trip.

The number of call-outs to the Pinnacles is becoming more frequent, Davies said, this being the fourth rescue this year for the Auckland team.

Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust had 12 rescues this Easter weekend, a decline from the 21 rescues last year.

Davies says the Auckland Rescue Helicopter is a busy service, reaching a staggering 1000 rescues a year.