With just bits of information from a brief distress telephone call Sunday, police and fire officials found and rescued a 27-year-old Manoa woman deep in Nu'uanu Valley yesterday afternoon.

Karis Johns suffered only minor bruises, despite tumbling about 25 feet down a cliffside and spending two nights in the valley. She was treated at The Queen's Medical Center yesterday and released.

Johns declined to comment last night, but her roommate, Sara Bassford, said Johns is lucky to be alive.

"She's got some cuts and bruises, but the shape that she's in, for the amount of time she was up there and where she was when they got her, it's amazing," Bassford said. "The grace of God was definitely with her because she said she fell about 25 feet, and she was up on one of the highest peaks."

Police and fire crews had searched for Johns since she called 911 at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday and told a dispatcher she was lost and injured.

She said she began at Manoa Falls, took a switchback to Pauoa Flats and made it to a ridgeline, but was unable to make her way back.

Johns' phone went dead before she could give the dispatcher her name and a more precise location. Police, working with a cellular phone company, were able to get the caller's name and an approximate location of where the call originated, said Officer Phil Camero of HPD's missing persons detail.

Police went to Johns' home and Bassford confirmed that Johns had gone hiking alone and had not returned.

Bassford said Johns is an experienced hiker and was headed to Kane'ohe when "the trail basically disappeared."

The search for Johns began Sunday and continued Monday with no luck.

Yesterday, heavy clouds shrouded much of the summit areas in Nu'uanu Valley, making the search difficult, said Honolulu fire Capt. Kenison Tejada. By early afternoon the clouds had dissipated and the crew on HFD's Air One helicopter spotted a red object below the ridgeline.

"I asked the pilot to make a turn and we came back around and noticed it again and I saw someone waving," said Alan Carvalho, Rescue One captain.

Carvalho said he couldn't really see the person, and wasn't able to determine if she might be injured.

But the fact that she was able to wave at them was a good sign, he said.

Tejada said strong winds made it dangerous for HFD to attempt to rescue the woman, so an Army medevac helicopter was called.

Johns was lifted into the medevac helicopter shortly after 3 p.m. and flown directly to Queen's.

"We're really happy. We were hoping that something positive would happen today, and it came out that way," Tejada said.

Camero agreed.

"Any time there is a recovery after several days of searching, it's exhilarating," he said.

Johns, who moved here from Wisconsin three years ago, had a little water left when she was found. She used a pink skirt, to signal her rescuers.

Fire rescue members went to the hospital yesterday to see how Johns was doing. The meeting was "very moving," Camero said.

"She was very, very grateful for their dedication and service."

Bassford last night also credited Camero for his hard work.

"I thanked him for the support and the hours that he put in because I know they had some problems tracking down the phone," she said.

Camero and Tejada yesterday reminded people not to hike alone.

"That's kind of a cardinal rule," Tejada said.

He said hikers should go in groups, file a plan with somebody and let someone know where they are going, the intended route and their expected time of return.

Hikers also should take a cell phone with an extra battery, flashlights, water and a jacket.