Missing hiker rescued by helicopter in Angeles National Forest

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. (KABC) -- A man was recovering Thursday after being stranded and rescued in the Angeles National Forest.

Horseback riders in the forest heard faint calls for help, and that sent the Altadena Mountain Rescue Team into action.

Two choppers scoured the mountains during the evening while ground crews also looked for the man. It took several hours until the man was finally found in an area where there were no marked trails.

An L.A. County fire chopper hoisted him to safety and transported him to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena.

It is not known how long he was on the mountain, but it was at least one night. Temperatures in the area Tuesday evening dropped into the 20s.

His identity has not been released, but the man, who is in his 30s, had a minor injury to his leg and couldn't walk off the mountain on his own.