Rangers with the University of Hawaii Maunakea Rangers rescued a 64-year-old man who was hiking through heavy snow and sleet on the slope of the volcano.

The rangers located the hiker on Humuula Trail at an elevation of around 13,000 feet Tuesday evening. At around 7 p.m. rangers and fire and rescue personnel from the U.S. Army Pohakuloa Training Center hiked for about a mile in “white-out” conditions to reach the man.

After pinpointing the hiker’s location using his cellphone and about an hour of hiking, the rescue team found the man in a small cave between Waiau Lake and Maunakea Access Road. He was able to walk on his own but was transported by personnel to a hospital.

The hiker, as required, registered with the Visitor Information Center on Maunakea prior to his hike, which included filling out forms that specified his contact information. Hikers are also briefed on safety protocols and weather, and undergo an assessment for proper gear.

Rangers tried to contact the man multiple times after it got dark, but they later found that the hiker’s contact information wasn’t filled in properly. The hiker called 911 to get in touch with the rangers.

In UH’s email, rangers said that “wintry weather” can occur with little warning and that the summit of Maunakea “can be one of the most dangerous places in Hawaii” because of its altitude, weather conditions and the absence of nearby emergency services. Additionally, cellphone coverage is unreliable, and there is only one public emergency phone on the summit.