WEST Vancouver Fire and Rescue came to the aid of a 21-year-old Gibsons man who found himself stuck amid the steep cliffs overlooking Horseshoe Bay as darkness fell Tuesday.
The man took a short hike while waiting for his ferry but got lost in a precarious spot on his way back, according to WVPD spokesman Const. Jeff Palmer. "Had he slipped and fallen, he could've been looking at some pretty serious injuries," said Palmer.
West Vancouver police were called shortly after 9 p.m., but found the terrain too steep to walk the disoriented ferry passenger to safety, necessitating a call to West Van Fire and Rescue.
"Fortunately the firefighters and their rope rescue training was close at hand," Palmer said.
The Fire and Rescue crew completed a rope rescue just before midnight.
The man missed his ferry. Police caution that even a short hike in unfamiliar territory can be dangerous, and advise hikers to pack proper equipment and make sure they can finish their trek before the sun goes down.
