Madera County sheriff's deputies called on the CHP for help after the hiker sent out an SOS. The highway patrol's helicopter crew spotted the man in the of the Sierra National Forest.
Officers landed the helicopters, hiking to the man. He wasn't injured, but told rescuers he lost the trail a few days earlier because of wildfire damage, and eventually ran out of food.
Crews flew him to Mammoth Lakes where he was evaluated.