Two lost hikers had to be helped off the North Shore Mountains on Monday night, ending what was nearly a crisis-free long weekend for search and rescue volunteers.
The men, who both work for National Defence, weren't prepared to spend the night outdoors when they found themselves stuck in a drainage on Mount Fromme.
Fortunately, they were able to get a cellphone signal and call 911, triggering the first call-out for North Shore Rescue of the Easter weekend.
A ski team managed to reach the hikers using the phone's GPS coordinates and accompany them down the mountain the same night.
Search manager Simon Jackson said even people who expect to go on a short hike on the North Shore need to be prepared for the worst.
"Anyone going out hiking needs to remember it's still winter conditions on the mountains here. It's still very cold," Jackson said. "People need to be prepared. If something does happen, if you do get lost, [you have to be] prepared to spend the night, have the essentials with you."
North Shore Rescue said the lost hikers were found on a steep, snowy slope. They weren't carrying most of the search organization’s 10 essentials for heading into the outdoors, including a map, compass, extra clothes or flashlights.
Though the men were very cold, neither was injured.
The RCMP was on scene when the hikers were rescued, and told reporters the National Defence employees could not be identified publicly. The officer did not explain why the men’s privacy had to be protected.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Nafeesa Karim
