A hiker’s missed turn in the backcountry led to an impromptu slumber party with North Shore Rescue members Wednesday night.
The RCMP called NSR’s search managers for help just before 7 p.m. after a 30-year-old North Vancouver woman reported being lost somewhere in the Hanes Valley. Because of her remote location, cell coverage was too spotty for police to triangulate her location. With little daylight left, two NSR volunteers headed for the backcountry, knowing it would likely be a one-way trip for the night.
“Our priority was to get a machine up in the air as fast as possible,” said Mike Danks, North Shore Rescue team leader. “We fired up the aircraft right away, picked up two of our members and they flew straight in.”
The hiker was intending to go from the Lynn Headwaters trail to the top of Grouse Mountain but rescuers had reason to believe she missed the Hanes Valley trail and continued north to the very remote Lynn Lake. The volunteers spotted her just as darkness fell.
The uneven terrain made a chopper landing too difficult, but, luckily, North Shore Rescue keeps a cache of emergency supplies not far away.
“By the time they made it to her, she was exhausted and travelling very slowly. In their minds, it was just not worth the risk of trying to hike her out that whole way,” Danks said. “They made a decision to set up the tent and sleeping bags, have a fire to keep warm, they made some food, had some drinks and just waited to first light.”
The helicopter was back at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday to fly them back to civilization.
The call could have been prevented if the subject was carrying a GPS system, satellite locator beacon or, at the very least, a map, Danks said.
“She would have had a very, very cold night last night. She was prepared to stay the night on her own. The problem was, she didn’t know where she was going,” Danks said.
“I think she got incredibly lucky having a cell signal at Lynn Lake.”
