Missing hiker and dog found alive near Donner

A man from Rocklin, Calif., and his dog have been found safe after missing in the Sierra near Donner Pass since Monday.

Cody Michael, 23, and his German Shepherd, Bauer, were spotted about 10 a.m. Thursday by a Black Hawk helicopter pilot in the Cherry Point area. Michael had gone out for an overnight hiking and camping trip on Sunday and didn't return on Monday as planned. A video sent from his phone Sunday showed him cooking a meal and drying out his shoes on rocks surrounded by snow.

The pilot saw the word "Help" spelled out with duck tape on a rock above his campsite. They hoisted the pair into the helicopter. According to the Placer County Sheriff's Office, Michael is "looking great" and has no injuries, although he was still taken to Sutter Roseville Medical Center to be medically checked.

Search crews from Placer County, El Dorado County and Tahoe Nordic had been searching for the missing hiker, along with five CARDA (California Rescue Dog Association) dogs.

There is no word yet as to why he couldn't make it out of the steep terrain but the Sheriff's Office said he was not injured, just hungry.