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Slip on Baden Powell trail ends in rope rescue

An evening jaunt on the Baden Powell trail nearly turned disastrous Wednesday evening when a hiker lost his footing and fell into a drainage basin at Mackay Creek.
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An evening jaunt on the Baden Powell trail nearly turned disastrous Wednesday evening when a hiker lost his footing and fell into a drainage basin at Mackay Creek.

District of North Vancouver firefighters rushed to the scene from both Skyline Drive and the Grouse Mountain side, quickly finding the injured hiker thanks to the work of Metro Vancouver park rangers, noted assistant fire chief Jeremy Duncan.

Banged up and complaining of back pain, firefighters elected to secure the hiker in what was essentially a “full body splint.”

With a North Shore Rescue helicopter on standby, the firefighters used a technical rope rescue to lift the injured man to the trail.

He was taken to hospital that evening.

Duncan credited the other hikers on the trail for immediately calling for help and staying with their friend.

“Do what these young men did,” he said.

The incident underlines the danger inherent in the backcountry, according to Duncan.

“Even that little hike across Baden Powell can be treacherous if you’re not prepared or if you lose footing, so don’t take it for granted.”