15 people, including would-be rescuers, rescued from icy mountain road in North Okanagan

Fifteen people needed rescuing on Sunday evening after becoming stuck on an icy mountain road east of Vernon.

According to Vernon Search and Rescue, snowmobiles and UTVs were deployed to help the stuck teens and their would-be rescuers near Becker Lake.

Search and Rescue said a number of teens in different vehicles had driven up the icy road earlier in the day, but became hopelessly stuck at several locations.

Those teens then called their friends for assistance, who, in turn, became stuck themselves. Calls then went out to some parents, who also became stuck.

“Conditions had changed throughout the day and into the evening, and as the temperature fell the difficult, icy road conditions worsened,” said Vernon Search and Rescue.

“One by one, search and rescue members came across immobile vehicles strung along the mountain road. A relay system was created to shuttle the subjects down the mountain, as there was only a single lane available.”

0:40 Lost B.C. snowmobiler praised for ‘spot on’ survival response

Search and rescue said temperatures were dropping, and a command post was set up at the Noble Canyon Road turnoff from Highway 6.

By 1 a.m., all 15 people had been transported off the icy road to Becker Lake.

Search and rescue noted that a number of concerned individuals were held back from trying to help so as not to complicate the operation.

1:19 Injured snowmobiler rescued by Vernon Search and Rescue

The organization also stated that the incident provided important lessons, including:

Search and rescue teams are free to use

• They can be mobilized quickly simply by calling 911.
• In many cases such as this, if the call had been made sooner in the day, the mission may have been accomplished much easier and finished much sooner as well.

SAR volunteers are dedicated members of the community

• They train to be prepared to respond to all manner of emergencies and situations.
• From getting stuck to a medical emergency, people should know that it’s perfectly OK to call for help when they are in trouble, or if conditions or situations are worsening.

When travelling backroads and wilderness areas, be prepared to stay overnight

• Cellphones and other communication devices don’t always work when they are needed.
• By thinking ahead and being prepared for emergencies, incidents like these can be downgraded from a potentially dangerous situation to an uncomfortable inconvenience.

One good source of information and planning tips can be found at AdventureSmart.