Injured North Shore hiker rescued by helicopter on busy weekend for SAR crews
A satellite device likely saved the life of an injured hiker on the North Shore Sunday, according to search and rescue crews who say the warm weather has made for a busy weekend.
North Shore Rescue's Jim Lore says this particular hiker broke his arm and suffered other injuries when he fell down in Wickenden Creek.
The beacon he had allowed him to alert the RCMP who called in the SAR team. A helicopter was dispatched and the hiker was successfully hoisted to safety before an ambulance took him away.
"Fortunately, he had that device," he said. 'It would have been a much different outcome if he didn’t."
In addition to having a reliable way to communicate, Lore says it's important to wear brightly coloured clothing, adding this rescue was complicated because the hiker was effectively camouflaged.
"We had to fly over a few times before we are able to locate him," he toldCTV News.
As the region experiences the year's first blast of hot weather, parking lots at popular hiking destinations like Lynn Valley and Mont Fromme quickly filled up as people ventured onto trails and into the backcountry.
"I think everybody's been anxious to get out into the outdoors with the colder spring we've had. This is our first really nice weather so it's super busy up there, lots of people around," he said adding crews were also called out three times on Saturday.
Lore's key top for staying safe is to be prepared -- which this hiker was.
"Always plan for things to go wrong and you'll be in a lot better position of they do go wrong," he said.
Preparation includes getting familiar with the terrain and the level of experience needed to safely navigate it by doing research ahead of time. It also means telling someone what the plan is.
"Tell people where you're going, that way if you don't show up at least we know where to start looking," Lore said.
Having the right gear is also key.
On the lower parts of the trails, high temperatures mean it's crucial to stay hydrated. At higher elevations, Lore says, it's important to remember there is still snow. Having warm clothes, crampons, and an ice axe are some key ways to be ready for those conditions.
Even with longer days, Lore said a flashlight is a must-have.
More tips on how to prepare for the outdoors are available from Adventure Smart.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.