GOVERNMENT CAMP, Ore. -- A missing hiker who spent a cold night on Hunchback Mountain in shorts was located by rescuers early Monday morning and safely airlifted to safety.

On Sunday afternoon, Chad Tabler, 33, began hiking the Hunchback Mountain Trail on the foothills of Mount Hood. He called the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office that night from his cell phone just after 6 p.m., and said he was lost and needed help. He said he was standing in snow.

Rescuers were not able to find him that night, so he spent the night in the cold.

Tabler had very little water, no flashlight, and was only wearing a T-Shirt, shorts and hiking boots when he got lost, but he did have a light fleece jacket with him. He also slipped into a creek while walking during the night, soaking his shoes and legs.

U.S. Coast Guard/kgw.com photo

Chad Tabler is airlifted off the snowy mountainside.

Searchers eventually hiked in to the man, pinpointing his location with the help of his cell phone. Rescuers said it was lucky they found him when they did because he was very cold as temperatures dipped into the 30s overnight.

Early Monday morning, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew airlifted the man off the mountain. He was evaluated medically, appeared to be fine and was getting ready to head home.

Search & Rescue coordinators had established their command post at the Zig Zag Ranger Station on Mount Hood.