5 hikers 'really lucky' to be safe after nighttime rescue on North Shore
Five hikers who got lost in North Vancouver Monday night are now safe, after they had to be rescued from Lynn Peak.
A North Shore rescue manager says the says the men, who are all in their 20s, were not properly prepared and did not leave sufficient time to complete the hike in the daylight
“These guys are really lucky. They could have been there overnight easily. A couple of them might have had a real tough time making it down tonight,” said Barnett.
“They were lost and disoriented. They also didn't have adequate lights. And so, you know, darkness catches a lot of people by surprise in the mountains and it's still wintertime,” said Barnett.
Fortunately, they had enough cell reception to call for help around 7:30 p.m.
NSR sent in two crews by foot and, several hours later, they were able to locate the group.
The conditions on the mountain were extreme—with high winds, wet snow, and poor visibility.
“These folks were very cool. We had reports that one of them wasn't all that coherent. So that's a pretty big warning sign to us, potentially advancing into, you know, beyond moderate hypothermia,” explained Barnett.
No one was hurt, but a Talon helicopter was deployed to hoist out two men who were in the worst condition.
Due to heavy cloud cover, Barnett says it took two attempts to reach them.
“B.C. ambulance came here, they did a quick assessment, spoke to the guys, and they didn't need any further ambulance service,” said Barnett.
He says that because of the conditions, the remaining three hikers were warmed up, provided with better gear, and escorted out.
Barnett says the group was thankful for the help and committed to being more prepared in the future.
“Anyone traveling into the mountains, even if you don't think you're going to be overnight, you need to carry a lot of heavy clothing,” said Barnett.
He says NSR has seen a steady number of calls in the past few weeks.
“More snowpack, and then nicer weather, and the skiers and snowboarders may end up venturing out of bounds in the backcountry more. So we’ll often get a little bit busier when the snowpack is a little bit higher,” he explained.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.'s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease's progression.
What Michael Cohen said on the stand in Trump hush money case
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial took the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
Collapsed Baltimore bridge span comes down with a boom after crews set off chain of explosives
Crews conducted a controlled demolition Monday to break down the largest remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
A child killer legally changed his name in B.C. The province is trying to stop that from happening again
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Security video caught admitted serial killer disposing of bodies in Winnipeg garbage bins
Security video caught admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki on multiple late-night outings, disposing of body parts in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters in the middle of the night.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
Behind the barricades: How protesters spend their first days in a new encampment
Students in Montreal describe life in a newly erected encampment in Montreal as a whirlwind of preparations, from facing rain and a potential police crackdown to setting up a space for the exchange of ideas.
Next 48 hours will be 'extremely challenging' for B.C. wildfire crews near Fort Nelson: officials
A wildfire burning dangerously close to Fort Nelson, B.C., has grown to more than 50 square kilometres, and officials are warning that the blaze's behaviour is expected to become more volatile over the next 48 hours.