A British hiker who had to be rescued from a landslide in Italy’s famous Dolomites after walking past warning signs has been fined €14,000 ($A25,000).

The 60-year-old called for help after rocks began falling on him on a treacherous and unstable sheer-cliff trail at 2400 metres last Thursday.

The man had walked past danger signs stating that the Via Ferrata Berti trail was closed from both ends due to “continuous rock discharge” from the Croda Marcora landslide.

He reportedly claims not to have seen the warnings in English and Italian.

At first, heavy clouds hampered communication and obscured his location. Eventually the sky cleared, rescuers were able to set out to find him.

They made the shocking discovery that the hiker was trapped “right in the middle of the landslide”.

“Arriving in the vicinity of the hiker, at about 17.30 the crew managed to recover him with a quick precision operation after the helicopter technician dropped by about 20 metres with the winch,” said a translated Facebook post from Veneto Alpine and Speleological Rescue (CNSAS) .

“The rescuer immediately hooked up the man, and the helicopter immediately left.

“The hiker was transported to base camp and entrusted to the rescuers.”

Ferrata Berti to Croda Marcora is a challenging hike through the Dolomites. Photo: AAP

Rescuers said the man, who had set off alone from Passo Tre Croci, near Cortina d’Ampezzo, was lucky to survive.

His fine was reportedly to cover the cost of two rescue helicopters and more than a dozen specialised rescuers and support staff.

Despite the warnings, CNSAS rescuers said two Belgian boys were also plucked out of the same area in July.

However, they got a much smaller bill, reportedly because they were European Union citizens.

The trail was closed at both access points in June by order of the mayor of San Vito di Cadore. Signs in Italian and English were erected to warn visitors not to enter.

This summer has reportedly been a terrible season for fatalities in the rugged Alps and Dolomites mountains of northeastern Italy.

From mid-June to mid-July there were 83 fatalities and five missing people, National Alpine Rescue chief Maurizio Dellantonio told local media outlet Corriere Della Sera.

“Nearly three fatal accidents a day; we’re at about 20 per cent more rescues than average,” he said.

Some rescuers blamed the surge in visitation on social media, while a heat wave was said to have driven others to the mountains to escape searing temperatures.

The man claims he didn’t see the warning signs. Photo: Facebook

Via Ferrata Berti trail is considered a “long, demanding but amazing and wild” climb on the sheer cliff face of Croda Marcora, the highest rock face of the whole Dolomites range.

“This challenging itinerary links Cortina d’Ampezzo to San Vito di Cadore,” a Dolomites website says.

“It goes along a ledge called Cengia del Banco, which crosses the vertical rock face approximately in the middle, below the hanging glacier of Croda Marcora, and passes extremely steep slopes.”

“This itinerary is suitable for expert, well-trained hikers, who have good knowledge of the dolomitic terrain.”