After a two-day search that involved Black Hawk helicopters, a missing 23-year-old and his beloved dog were found safe.

Cody Michael and his dog Bauer were reported missing after embarking on a hike near the Donner Summit in Sacramento.

Army National Guardsmen spotted the pair at the Cherry Point area of Placer County and rescued them at about 10:15 a.m. on Thursday.

Grueling Search

Helicopters took to the sky and circled a 6-mile radius as the search intensified Wednesday.

“He was absolutely lost, and it wasn’t until this third day in the expanded search that they got into the territory he was in,” said Cody’s father Howard in an interview with CBS13. “He didn’t want to create a forest fire, so he built a fire for himself on a rock in the midst of some little melted snow-pond type of thing.”

Cody had scratched the word “Help” into rocks near his campsite so rescuers could track him.

“He said when he saw the Black Hawk flying overhead he took his rain guard that he had and tied a string to it and just swirled it, went out in the open and just swirled it, and that’s what they saw,” Howard said.

Grateful Survivor

Cody and Bauer’s story got plenty of attention in the local media. Speaking from his hospital bed, Cody expressed admiration for all who contributed to his rescue and the safety of his pet.

“This whole experience has been kind of crazy,” Cody said. “To see how many people were out there trying to find me, it’s unbelievable.”

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