Suffering from hypothermia but glad to be alive, California couple Ian Irwin and Carol Kiparsky posed with thumbs up from their hospital beds.

A sunset hike on Valentine's Day nearly cost the couple their lives after they got lost in the dark, according to reports.

The effort to locate the missing hikers, both in their 70s, had turned from a rescue to a recovery mission as hope for their survival dimmed.

But on Saturday, teenage volunteers made the surprising discovery in a densely forested area of Marin County in Northern California.

Search and Rescue Volunteer Quincy Webster.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) QUINCY WEBSTER, SEARCH AND RESCUE VOLUNTEER, SAYING: "We start hearing two people yelling ‘help’ very loudly and clearly 150 feet away." Kiparsky and Irwin were airlifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.

They had reportedly survived by drinking water from a puddle.

The couple told rescuers they both nearly gave up hope at times, but found comforted in each other.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) QUINCY WEBSTER, SEARCH AND RESCUE VOLUNTEER, SAYING: "I think if either of them had been there alone they wouldn't have survived.

But I think together they kept their hopes up." The couple was missing for eight days without a cell phone or warm clothing.