Two men had to be rescued from the Mount Ngāuruhoe summit over the weekend after climbing up the mountain in non-suitable clothing and without alpine equipment.
Police said a climbing party stumbled across the pair at 4pm on Saturday in winter alpine conditions.
The climbers were amazed to find the men sitting in the snow dressed in street shoes, jeans, cotton t-shirts and cotton hooded sweatshirts.
"The two men were cold and frightened and unsure how to descend the mountain with no alpine equipment in rapidly increasing icy conditions," a police spokesperson said.
"After feeding them, providing some warm clothing and some dialogue via Google translate, the climbers called 111 and asked for police assistance to get the two men down off the mountain."
A helicopter was used to collect them from the summit and fly them down to safety.
“This would be one of the worst examples I have seen in recent years of day-walkers with inadequate knowledge, equipment and skill, climbing in an alpine environment," Constable Mark Bolton from National Park Police said.
“They are incredibly fortunate that the well-prepared mountaineers were able to render assistance and put the call out for help because I doubt they would have survived the night otherwise.”
At least two other climbers had attempted to turn the two men around during their ascent of the mountain, concerned with their lack of clothing and equipment.
Police encouraged anyone heading into the backcountry to check in with the local Department of Conservation visitor centres for up-to-date advice on weather, conditions, equipment and local knowledge of any intended routes.
