Missing B.C. backcountry skier turns up, just as crews suspend search for the night

B.C. Search-and-rescue crews got a surprise happy ending Friday evening, when a missing backcountry skier turned up under his own power, just as they were suspending search efforts for the night.

The man in his 30s had left Whistler Thursday to go ski touring in the Elfin Lakes area, near Squamish, but failed to return in that evening.

Search and rescue crews from Squamish, the North Shore and Lions Bay found his vehicle in the parking lot at the trail head, but despite scouring the area throughout Friday were unable to find him.

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Shortly before 5 p.m., with overnight temperatures forecast to dip as low as -7 C, crews made the difficult decision to suspend the search and resume at first light.

Not long afterward the man turned up, having walked himself out of the area to where his vehicle was.

Paramedics were assessing his condition Friday evening.

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