Spencer Hunt, 20, is recovering in hospital after spending two nights lost in the wilderness near Ammonite Falls in Nanaimo.
The Victoria man who was not prepared to spend the night in the woods, survived by drinking creek water, hunkering down in a cave and walking.
Hunt was spotted by a search helicopter just before noon Monday after the pilot saw him waving his arms.
Hunt hiked away from the rest of the group he was with, and before he realized he was lost, it was too difficult to retrace his steps.
He is expected to make a full recovery.
