This is the nailbiting moment mountain rescuers guide a frozen hiker as they inch down the virtually sheer side of a 9,000ft canyon.

The hiker had become so cold they were unable to get down after reaching the top of a peak and were suffering from frostbite in Cheyenne Canyon U.S. state of Colorado, on January 13

When they called for help just before 7am rescuers were able to pinpoint them with a drone.

The Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) said in a statement: 'Crews hiked in and set up for a rope rescue.'

Drone footage of the descent shows the hiker fixed to a line with a rescuer behind them as they scramble down the almost vertical rock face one step at a time.

Above them, another rescuer carefully plays out the line while others in the team wait on a rocky outcrop below.

Amazingly, the painstaking rescue took just two and a half hours.

The rescuers said later: 'Crews made contact with the patient and were able to bring the patient down the side of a rocky ledge on a rope system.

'The patient was transported to a local hospital with lower extremities injuries and frostbite.'

Firefighters later warned outdoors lovers of the dangers of severe weather.

They said: 'Please stay indoors and stay warm this weekend. It is not safe to be outside walking, biking or hiking. It is best to stay indoors over the next few days.'

Local media reported that temperatures in the area over the weekend reached just two degrees Fahrenheit (minus 16.6 degrees Celsius).