Yet another use for duct tape. 
Must of been a big roll to spell out such big letters.
He kept his composure and didn’t panic. That can make all the difference in survival.
Very glad it ended well with no injuries.
http://fox40.com/2016/05/19/hiker-missing-in-sierra-found-fine-and-dandy/
From the photo, it looks like he was running out of tape when he got to the last letter of HELP. Lucky he wasn’t spotted by this guy.
It’s all over the news here. I live about 5 miles from the rescue site. That’s some pretty rough terrain, but our Sheriff’s Dept. is pretty active with Search and Rescue, along with some other state emergency agencies and CalFire.
Glad they were rescued!
“The Handyman’s best friend” – Red Green
When going overseas, I travel very light, just carryon. But there is duct-tape in there, I keep a nearly used-up roll squashed down flat, just for international travel.
I once cut my finger in a ceiling fan (don’t ask) and made a bandage out of toilet paper and duct tape, after sterilizing the wound in pepsi-cola.
Gaff tape + TP/napkin = stagehand bandage. 
If it moves and shouldn’t, duct tape it. If it doesn’t move and should, spray it with WD 40.
Words to live by at any altitude. 
Sorry, but I just have to ask anyway. Not that I haven’t … err … run into a brick wail or two or that time in London. Or Memphis. Or Chicago. Or…well one might get the point.
If you share your tale about duct tape and Pepsi I have several gold star stickies to give to you. And a stuffed bear named Scruffy.
Please share.
The people who spotted the “HELP” from the air are badasses. I looked at the photo in the article for a good five minutes and still can’t see any writing at all.
It’s not easy to see. You have to zoom in on the right area.
If that’s really what it looked like from the air, I’m amazed it was spotted.
Seeing that, I wonder if a giant X would be more visible.
Maybe the pilot caught a reflection of sunlight.
That’s the internationally-recognised symbol for buried treasure.
No kidding. I used to do this with Civil Air Patrol.
FYI. Combinations of three indicate distress. I’m surprised (or maybe not) that this fellow didn’t send up smoke. He had duct tape, but not a lighter?
Make a fire. Bic lighters are your friend.
Post # 2. 
I would have spelled out SOS. Fewer letters and then could have made them larger.
I would guestimate that the straight letters in HELP are easier to create than the curves in SOS.
You can make S and O with straight lines.
Duct Tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
I’m guessing more people would show up if they thought there was buried treasure.
