"It would have been difficult if we had to hike him out because of the steep terrain," Honolulu Fire Department Battalion Chief James "Kimo" Perkins said.

A Kalihi Uka company, Fire Rescue 2 based at Kalihi Kai and HFD's helicopter were involved in the rescue, which began at 6:03 p.m.

The injured man, 29, suffered injuries to his forehead, shoulder and neck. "He couldn't have walked out," Perkins said.

A church parking lot near the end of Kalihi Street was the first choice for the helicopter to land and turn the patient over to Emergency Medical Services personnel but it was unavailable because a service was being held, so HFD found another option.

"We had to find a landing zone close enough to the patient," Perkins said.

The choice was Likelike Highway's Kane'ohe-bound lanes about a mile from the Wilson Tunnel. Honolulu police closed the Kane'ohe-bound lanes at Likelike Highway and Valley View Street for about 10-15 minutes.

The transfer was made at about 7 p.m. The man was taken in serious condition to The Queen's Medical Center, said EMS spokesman Bryan Cheplic.

According to Kalihi Uka 2nd Platoon Capt. John Bowers, the man was climbing one of two swing ropes when he slipped. The visitor was with five others — a man and two women from Spain, a man who lives here and another who recently moved from Minnesota — at "ice pond," said Bowers.

Firefighters hiked about a mile in from the Kalihi Street end and prepared for the patient to be airlifted out, Bowers said.