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.