‘Absolutely terrifying’: Man, dog rescued after being stranded on trail near Buntzen Lake overnight
Posted August 26, 2019 5:36 am.
Last Updated August 26, 2019 9:49 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
COQUITLAM (NEWS 1130) – It was all smiles and tail-wagging Monday morning after a helicopter rescue near Buntzen Lake.
Mike Niedzelski and his dog, Hunter, were airlifted to safety after spending a cold night stranded along the Swan Falls trail.
The hiker and his four-legged companion apparently ran into trouble on Sunday when Niedzelski apparently slipped and knocked his Bernese Mountain dog five feet down into a ravine.
“I was climbing up a hill and Hunter was right behind me. I lost my footing, I slid back a little bit and it pushed him into the gully,” he explained.
The dog’s shoulder was hurt in the fall, so Niedzelski tried to carry the large animal — which weighs more than 100 lbs. — back out — straining his back in the process.
“I coaxed him out as far as I could, and then I could see as our trip progressed, his limping got worse and worse, so then I would have to carry him.”
He eventually called for help at around 9:00 p.m., and it took more than three hours for rescue crews to reach him and Hunter.
“Absolutely terrifying for a number of reasons,” he said. “You know, my poor dog’s hurt, not to mention the situation that we’re now in.”
Niedzelski, an experienced hiker, was well-prepared and did the right things, according to Coquitlam Search and Rescue.
Crews spent the night with the pair, before everyone was plucked out by helicopter Monday morning.
The bumps and strains are already healing, and Hunter has received a number of back scratches and pats.
