Snowmobiler injured at Greystokes

NEAR KELOWNA — Snowmobile season came to a crashing end for one rider in the Greystokes area near Kelowna Sunday.

Central Okangan Search and Rescue (COSAR) says they were called at around noon following reports of an injured snowmobiler.

“We were informed that three riders were in the Greystokes area and that one rider had ridden off a small cliff or embankment and had injured his leg severely,” says COSAR’s Duane Tresnich.

“The rescue was complicated by the fact the riders did not know the area and when the cell phone was pinged for it location, there was an error that put the cell phone operator in the Lumby region.”

Tresnich says COSAR asked for another ping from the cell phone and received the correct co-ordinates.

By that time, the injured rider’s friends had brought him out to a waiting ambulance.

“We would like to remind everyone that If they are going into the back country to have a phone with them, but don’t rely on the phone to be providing you the correct GPS coordinates.  Always carry a GPS with you and use that to get the correct coordinates on your location,” says Tresnich.