It was a dramatic scene on Quadra Island after two women stranded in the wilderness since Wednesday were reunited with friends and family.

The women, 69 and 72 years old, were located Friday after they went missing on what was supposed to be a one-hour hike on the north end of Quadra Island.

Searchers were concerned because the women were said to be unprepared for the elements or to shelter overnight in the woods.

But when they were found by community searchers Friday afternoon, the women were in remarkable condition given their ordeal.

"They've been out for like 36 hours, so to find them in good condition and to find them conscious and doing alright is a real gift," said volunteer searcher Zachary Zamisky.

Zamisky said he volunteered because Quadra Island, which has a population of roughly 2,500 people, is a tight-knight community where most people know one another.

"You couldn't ask for a better conclusion than two people to be found and relatively unscathed," said searcher Cherissa Macneil. "A great end to what was a pretty scary story there for a while."

Crews discovered the women in an area they figured the pair had travelled to after becoming lost.

They were lifted by a long line and set down in a field on Quadra Island, where the emotional reunion took place.

"They're cold and they're wet and a little bit embarrassed about their situation, but otherwise in good health," said Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue manager Paul Berry.

The large-scale search effort brought together more than 80 volunteers from 14 different search groups, including some from the Lower Mainland.

The groups were thrilled to have a successful outcome

"This is always the very, very best news for family and for everyone one of these searchers," said Berry.

The women were loaded into an ambulance after touching down, where they were checked out by paramedics.