North Shore Rescue issues warning after busy weekend at Cypress Provincial Park

North Shore Rescue is issuing a warning to hikers after being called to Cypress Provincial Park three times on Saturday.

Manager Dave Barnett says the recent streak of hot weather may have been misleading for some.

"It gets really warm in the city, like it was on Saturday, a very warm day and people want to hike in the mountains,” Barnett said.

“We think that's terrific, (but) they don't really realize how cold it still can be,” he continued.

Barnett says they were first called to the park at around 1 p.m. after a hiker fell in the Howe Sound Crest Trail.

"This individual had been hit by some sliding snow and was a little bit disoriented and unable to hike out,” Barnett said.

Barnett says the man was helicoptered to the parking lot where paramedics were waiting. He says he’s unsure of the extent of his injuries.

Shortly after that, another call came in after a woman slipped and fell in Black Mountain, one of the park’s mountain peaks.

Barnett says this was an example of melting snow creating very dangerous, slippery conditions.

“This individual was well equipped, she did have micro spikes, good clothing and even poles,” said Barnett.

“But the slope was slippery and steep enough for her to fall and suffer that injury,” he continued.

The final call came in around dinner time, asking for help for a woman hiking in a group of three who had sprained her ankle along the summit of St Mark’s.

“On their way back down, someone slipped in the steep slopes and sprained an ankle,” said Barnett.

“There was no room to put a helicopter down this time, so we sent two people down using a long line,” Barnett said.

He says when the rescue members arrived, all three people were showing signs of hypothermia.

“They were not well-equipped, they had very light clothing and footwear that wasn’t suitable,” said Barnett,

"If we weren’t able to get in there as quickly as we were, one or more of them could have easily perished with hypothermia, it can happen that fast.”

Barnett says all three were out of the hospital the next day and doing much better.

He’s warning other hikers planning on heading up the mountain in the coming weeks to make sure they have the proper gear.

“For those kind of trails that get extremely slippery with the sun beating on them -- individuals need high boots over the ankles, and shoes should have micro spikes or some type of traction.”