Two hikers who became lost on a challenging trail near Lions Bay, B.C. Sunday were spared a chilly night outdoors thanks to hard-working search and rescue volunteers.

Nicole Wilson and Sarah Fitzharris were out with two men on the Unnecessary Mountain Trail – a difficult hike that Lions Bay Search and Rescue compared to climbing a ladder – when they got separated at around 3:30 p.m.

After the sun went down, Wilson and Fitzharris said it was so dark on the mountain they could barely see each other. But crews managed to reach them by around 8 p.m. and spent hours hiking the pair out to safety.

"We couldn't even see each other's faces. It was terrifying," Fitzharris said. "I feel like they literally saved our lives. I know that sounds dramatic, but it was cold and scary."

Crews told CTV News the hikers weren't properly equipped, and were only wearing light gear. Search manager Martin Colwell said volunteers were fortunately able to locate their location by making whistle contact.

"It took a while to find them," Colwell said. "They got themselves into a fairly steep area that had some more dangerous terrain below … it was rather tricky because it was dark and they couldn't see anything, but by using sound, we did get to them and manage to safely escort them back to the trail."

The other hikers who were out with Wilson and Fitzharris completed the trail.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Nafeesa Karim