North Shore Rescue deployed 3 times Monday amid ‘dangerous’ winter conditions

It was a busy day for Metro Vancouver’s North Shore Rescue (NSR), who found themselves deployed three times for unrelated rescues Monday.

Search Manager Allan McMordie said the first call involved a skier who had descended out of bounds on the west side of Cypress Mountain.

The skier ended up at the location of an NSR cache and helipad where he stopped to call for help.

“It’s quite dangerous below here. We were able to fly in and pick him up right at the helipad,” McMordie said.

0:49 Avalanche conditions make for dangerous Cypress Mountain rescue

Just as crews were wrapping with that rescue, they got a second call — this time about a group of unprepared hikers trying to get to Grouse Mountain on the BCMC trail.

“They did not have proper footwear for the trail. One of them had gotten in trouble and wasn’t able to continue,” McMordie said.

“It’s still winter conditions, it’s very slippery. You need micro spikes on that trail. They were from out of town, they were not equipped.”

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Crews helped the hiker back down the mountain, while the remainder of the group was able to finish their ascent, he said.

1:38 Tourists rescued from Lynn Headwaters Park after being stuck overnight in blizzard conditions

The third call of the day also involved an out-of-bounds skier at Cypress, who had in this case descended of the east side of Hollyburn Mountain towards Capilano Lake.

NSR deployed a helicopter team again, who used a long line to lift the stranded skier to safety.

McMordie said the busy day was a stark reminder that conditions remain unforgiving in the backcountry.

“We still have an unstable snowpack up in the mountains,” he said.

“In some places we had a metre of new snow, and that hasn’t solidified yet, it’s still dangerous out there.”

Backcountry users are reminded to always packing the “10 essentials,” to ensure they’ve researched and planned their trip appropriately and to always wear proper clothing and footwear.

Anyone heading into the backcountry should always ensure they’ve left enough time to complete their trip before dark, and to let someone know where they’re going and when they’re due back.