A group of four teenage girls who lost their way while hiking on the North Shore say they'd likely still be lost in the woods if it wasn't for rescuers.
"A big thank you," said Sydney Pavao, when asked if she had anything to say to North Shore Rescue.
"If it weren't for them, we'd still be up there and that's really frightening to think about."
The girls, ages 16 and 17, were north of Grouse Mountain on the challenging Kennedy Falls Trail around noon Thursday when they found themselves lost in snowy terrain.
"They went out for a day hike and they bit off more than they could chew," Don Jardine of North Shore Rescue said. "They came back and they lost the trail."
Fortunately, the teenagers were able to call 911 around 2 p.m. before losing cell service.
"We realized there was too much snow so we decided to turn back and then the markings just started to disappear so I guess we got off trail somehow," said hiker Sydney Pavao.
North Shore Rescue called for a chopper to search from the air, but the steep terrain and dense tree cover proved difficult.
Search crews used the ping from a cell tower to pinpoint their general location, which eventually led to their rescue.
Crews reached the group before nightfall, at around 6:30 p.m., and walked them back to safety.
The girls admitted they weren't prepared, and say their rescuers had some advice for them while they were being helped back to the trailhead.
"They were talking to us and they were asking 'Do you have any headlights, any matches, a whistle, a compass with you? I think that would help a lot,'" said Mona Au.
They also hadn't told their parents which trail they were taking, only saying they were headed to North Vancouver.
Jardine said that can be a critical error.
"It's important when you are going somewhere to make sure there are people that know where you're going, exactly where you're going to be and when you're expected back," he said.
None of the girls were injured, just cold after spending so many hours stranded outdoors.
