Search for missing mountaineers ramps up near Squamish

After days of poor weather conditions, a break in the clouds allowed rescue crews to ramp up the search for three climbers missing near Squamish, B.C., on Wednesday.

The mountaineers failed to return from Garibaldi Provincial Park on Friday after setting out to scale Atwell Peak – a highly technical climb at high elevation.

"This is not a casual day hike by any stretch," said B.J. Chute, a manager with Squamish Search and Rescue. "This is an extremely technical mountaineering adventure … that's going to require ropes, crampons, harnesses."

Low visibility and dangerous avalanche conditions hampered the rescue efforts for four days, but search helicopters were finally able to fly near Atwell Peak on Wednesday after the skies cleared.

Chute said crews are using a helicopter-mounted RECCO device that can "pick up a signal from deflectors that are sewn into outdoor clothing" to help locate the climbers.

So far, they have not had any luck pinpointing the group.

Friends and family of the missing trio have been anxiously waiting for updates, and spent the day watching helicopters come and go from the search and rescue staging area at Squamish Municipal Airport.

The search is expected to continue until nightfall, and rescuers are hoping the weather will continue to improve over the coming days, allowing ground crews onto the mountain.

"We aren't able to get high enough to clear the avalanche risk to send in ground personnel, so we are basically still standing by waiting for the weather to co-operate," Chute said.