North Shore Rescue volunteers drive up bare ski hills to rescue hiker

This photo, posted to Facebook by North Shore Rescue, shows volunteers on Mt. Seymour on Jan. 1, 2024.

Volunteers on the North Shore conducted their first rescue of the new year just minutes after midnight, when a hiker slipped and injured himself on Mt. Seymour.

North Shore Rescue, in a social media post, says they were the first SAR team to record a rescue in the province in 2024.

At 12:10 a.m., a man who was hiking with a group slipped on a patch of icy ground, according to NSR, which said that "by luck" one of its members happened to be hiking nearby at the time.

"(He) was able to get on scene very quickly and relay information to incoming rescue crews," the Facebook post explains, adding that the lack of snow made the rescue somewhat simpler than it would have been in more typical winter conditions.

"NSR was able to drive (our 4x4 Jeep Rubicon) right up the ski hill runs on bare ground to the subject's location."

When the volunteers arrived, they were able to stabilize the man's injury, help him warm up, give him some relief from the pain and load him into the jeep to be taken to a waiting ambulance.

The rescue wrapped up by 2:30 a.m.

The man's injury was caused, in part, by "not-the-best-ankle-supporting footwear," NSR said, stressing the importance of proper gear.

"Even with the general lack of snow, it is still very slippery up there, and traction devices like microspikes are an essential part of your kit," the social media post continued.

"As well, even though it is relatively warm in town for this time of year, it is colder up high, and you can get very, very cold if you have to wait for rescue crews – extra warm layers are key to prevent hypothermia."

The second call for a rescue in 2024 came less than 12 hours later, NSR said. That one was also an ankle injury, but District of North Vancouver firefighters responded.