North Shore Rescue members are wondering who would break into one of their backcountry rescue caches and steal or destroy gear that could mean the difference between life and death.
The team learned on Monday that cache of gear in Hanes Valley had been broken into
“The damage was extensive,” said Doug Pope, North Shore Rescue search manager. “They both stole gear and vandalized equipment and our helipad that is adjacent … It’s been growing as we assess. Our estimate now is around $15,000 in damage”
The thieves made off with tents and sleeping bags, gas stoves, medical supplies, rescue rope and a chainsaw, which they first used to cut the support joists on the North Shore Rescue helipad, making it unsafe to land there until it is rebuilt.
“There’s a significant amount of work,” Pope said. “And we’ll need to use our precious resources, financial and volunteer time, to get that kit operational again because it is a key part of our infrastructure in order to keep our rescuers and the public safe.”
Strategically placing rescue caches in the backcountry was part of the legacy of Tim Jones, the NSR’s late team leader, should hikers or rescuers get caught in a storm.
Pope’s was one of the lives saved by that specific cache a few years ago when 25 Korean hikers became stuck in the snow-covered valley. The cache’s firewood, food and gas kept the hikers and rescuers alive overnight.
“Our team was in there at 4 a.m. and I was making Gatorade tea while we waited for the helicopter to come to pick us up in the morning,” Pope said.
Cheaper than replacing all the stolen gear would be getting it back, so North Shore Rescue and the North Vancouver RCMP are appealing to the public to speak up if they spot the gear, most of which has North Shore Rescue’s logo on it, or if they saw anything untoward while on the trail during the previous week.
The thieves would have had to hike about three hours from Lynn Headwaters Regional Park to reach the cache, which is placed at the halfway point between the park and Grouse Mountain.
RCMP have opened a file and sent investigators to the site to gather evidence, but so far, there are no suspects.
In the meantime, the team is accepting donations to repair the helipad and replace the stolen and damaged gear at their website, www.northshorerescue.com.
