North Shore Rescue crews have been busier than ever in 2018 so far.
In a Facebook post Friday night, the volunteer organization shared that it had responded to 41 calls since January 1. At this time last year, the total was 29, and the previous high was in 2016, when crews had responded to 35 requests for assistance by mid-May.
As if on queue, crews were called into action for a 42nd time Saturday afternoon, this time for reports of four lost hikers in the Suicide Creek area of Mount Seymour.
North Shore Rescue Search Manager Doug Pope told CTV News that the hikers had been headed for Dog Mountain, but got lost and ended up on Pump Peak - the first summit of Mount Seymour.
The four hikers are in their 20s, Pope said, and were wearing running shoes. They were ill-equipped for the steep, snowy slope they ended up on.
“They were pretty much stuck,” Pope said. “They were afraid for their lives.”
Rescuers asked the four hikers to stay put, and were able to reach them by helicopter around 2 p.m.
Pope told CTV News anyone thinking about hiking on the North Shore over the long weekend should make sure they have the proper equipment on hand - including hiking boots, crampons, and warm layers if they’re going to be making their way up to above the snow line.
“May long weekend is typically a busy time for us,” Pope said. “It might be a nice day down in Vancouver right now … Up here there’s still snow … It’s still winter conditions.”
More information on how to prepare for a hike can be found on the North Shore Rescue website.
