North Shore Rescue has put on hold Tuesday’s search effort for a snowshoer missing just north of Mount Seymour.
Team leader Mike Danks says the snow and low visibility are hampering the search, and with better weather in the forecast for Wednesday, that’s where their focus will be.
However, he says the continuing avalanche risk means they will still be limited to the number of personnel and dogs and they can put in to the remote area.
The two experienced hikers were hit by a snow slide Monday morning between Runner Peak and Mount Elsay.
One was able to cling to a tree, then call 911 and he was eventually airlifted to safety Sunday afternoon.
“They were both hit by an avalanche,” Allan McMordie, a search manager with North Shore Rescue.
“One of the party is hanging on to a tree so that he doesn’t slide down any further and he was able to phone out to 911. They also activated a spot so we also got called by the emergency number through the spot locator device.”
Around 4 p.m., crews were able to reach the man by longline and he has been taken to a staging area.
McMordie says at this time, they do not know where the second person is located.
The two people were snowshoeing when they were caught in the avalanche.
WATCH: One of the missing hikers was rescued with a long line from a helicopter. He was dropped off at a staging area.
Search and Rescue members have mobilized at Mt. Seymour in efforts to find some hikers that may be trapped in an avalanche.
“We’ve got cloud cover down low enough to prevent us from getting up to the peaks of Seymour and of Runner. Runner’s a difficult peak to get up to. Once you get up to the third pe]ak of Seymour, you then have to drop considerably down into a gully and then climb back up either east or west side.”
About 25 people responded Monday, along with members from Whistler Search and Rescue with avalanche dogs.
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