VANCOUVER -- One woman has died and another is in hospital with serious injuries after two separate incidents on Squamish trails that led to complex search and rescue calls.
Squamish Mounties say they, along with Squamish Search and Rescue and BC Ambulance, were called to two separate calls over the weekend along Sigurd Trail.
The most recent, on Sunday afternoon, happened after a woman fell down a rock field and cliff face at Sigurd Peak. Mounties say she had been hiking with a companion. The pair was on a steep, technical portion when the woman, who was in her early 30s, slipped and fell "a considerable distance."
Squamish RCMP, Air 5 helicopter and search and rescue crews were all called in to help find the woman, but she died of her injuries. Crews worked throughout the day to retrieve her body from the area, which was difficult to reach.
Two days before the fatal incident, another woman fell into Crooked Falls on Friday morning. Search and rescue crews found the woman 70 feet away from the lookout point, in the waterfall, holding onto a log.
Search and rescue crews worked in dangerous conditions to get the woman safely. The 25-year-old Surrey woman was taken to hospital by air ambulance with serious injuries.
"It is disheartening to have these serious incidents happen in our area and our thoughts go to the family and friends of the woman who died yesterday and the hopes for a full recovery for the woman in Crooked Falls on Friday," Sgt. Sascha Banks said in a news release.
"Our Sea to Sky backcountry is not for beginners and even those of intermediate or advanced expertise find that things can go wrong very quickly. The skill level of our local search and rescue team is incredible and the efforts of our members to help find those lost or in trouble is unparalleled."
Banks says police ask for all visitors to do their research before going to the area.
"Assess your skill level, have the right equipment, know the risks, and adventure safely," she said.
