The families of three central Alberta men who had gone missing during a sledding trip in B.C. are elated that the trio has been found safe and uninjured.
Ryan Pyper, 38, Todd Kennedy, 46, and Braydon Kennedy, 21, left the Red Deer area Thursday night to sled at Boulder Mountain in Revelstoke. The area is a well-known destination for backcountry snowmobilers from Alberta.
Their families last heard from them Friday morning when the trio set off for the day, but grew concerned when they did not hear back from the three men by the evening. The sledding trip was meant to be a one-day excursion.
READ MORE: Two Kelowna men feeling lucky to be alive after getting lost on snow-covered mountain
“This morning, I woke up at 4 a.m. and I’m like, ‘he hasn’t gotten in touch with me’ so I started the search.”
Family members said they contacted B.C. RCMP, who they said checked the base of Boulder Mountain and found Ryan’s empty truck and trailer.
READ MORE: Sledder dies on Boulder Mountain near Revelstoke
Denise Kennedy, Todd’s wife and mother to Braydon, previously told Global News that she realized something was wrong around 9 p.m. on Friday when she hadn’t heard from either her husband or son.
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“I was just sitting there and, every once in a while, text Todd or Braydon or Ryan and never got a response. I repeatedly phoned them and finally fell asleep about 2:30 a.m.,” she said.
Denise said Braydon had only been sledding for a couple years while Todd had years of experience under his belt.
B.C. RCMP and local search and rescue teams became involved in looking for the three men, and at around 2 p.m. PT, family members said that searchers found the three men.
“They got into a ‘bad spot’ — whatever that means,” said Ryan Davidson, who is the brother-in-law of Ryan Pyper.
“They had to surrender their sleds to the mountain and basically camp out for the night.
Rozanne said when the men realize they need to stay the night on the mountain, they dug several feet into the snow and made themselves a cave and a fire.
She said they had a little food and some water. They were walking down the mountain in the morning when another group found them.
The men were taken to a cabin to warm up. There are day cabins on the mountain, that serve as rest stops and emergency shelters for sledders.
It’s believed all three had their avalanche packs on, but Rozanne said they may not have had a lot of emergency gear because they were only planning to do a day trip at the mountain. Rozanne said all three have been to Boulder Mountain before.
READ MORE: Trio of lost snowmobilers safely rescued from Revelstoke area mountain in January 2018
Davidson said the news was a relief and said that the family was in a celebratory mood that the three men were alive.
Denise echoed the same sentiment.
“Over-emotional to the point that I’ve just broke and released my tears,” she said.
“I’m overjoyed my husband and my son have been found.”
READ MORE: ‘Cold, but overall in good health’: Revelstoke SAR finds missing sledders
Both families said they hope the incident serves as a reminder for people to be prepared when they head out for winter excursions.
“Definitely make sure you have some food and snacks just in case you do get stranded. To let somebody know exactly the trails you are taking or the path you plan on taking,” Denise said.
The three men are expected back in the Red Deer area on Sunday.
Repeated calls and emails by Global News to B.C. RCMP and Revelstoke Search and Rescue yielded little information. Revelstoke Search and Rescue confirmed they were conducting a search but would not say where they were searching or for whom.
WATCH BELOW: The death of an Albertan snowmobiler in February 2014 on Boulder Mountain near Revelstoke had sledders rethinking trail rides due to the increased risks. Doris Bregolisse reports.
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