Emergency services have been left stunned and frustrated by an ungrateful hiker they rescued in the Snowy Mountains.

Just after 4am on Friday, a 45-year-old man called for help from the Kosciuszko National Park, near Mt Stillwell.

The man requested to be evacuated after being inundated with snow when his tent collapsed.

Rescue crews immediately swung into action, hiking more than five hours through blizzard conditions to reach him.

He was eventually returned to the safety of Charlottes Pass more than eight hours after the initial call, suffering hypothermia and exposure.

But a senior police commander has now revealed the shocking response the alpine rescue crew received upon reaching the man.

“To be honest, that person wasn’t real happy that the police didn’t then remove all of his equipment as well at the same time.

“They said ‘no, you have to walk out,'” Superintendent Paul Condon tells Ray Hadley.

“Are you telling me that this ungrateful bastard… this imbecile, puts on a blue that he wants his gear packed up and brought back with him?”

“That’s correct Ray. It is very frustrating… [They] risked their lives to go and rescue this gentleman.”

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And it’s by no means the first incident this winter, with countless people needing to be rescued at the snow.

On Monday, a father and his 10-year-old girl became trapped after leaving the Thredbo resort area, only just managing to be rescued before nightfall.

Superintendent Condon says people need to recognise their capabilities and be more prepared.

“There’s a high risk for not only the people that need help but my officers that are going out there and putting themselves at risk to recover these people.”