‘Lucky to be alive’: 2 Howe Sound Crest hikers rescued

Volunteers in the Sea to Sky area were busy overnight Wednesday, rescuing two hikers trapped on a mountain trail without proper seasonal equipment.

The Lions Bay Search And Rescue Service (LBSAR) says two young men departed from Cypress Mountain, hoping to complete the Howe Sound Crest Trail in a single day, but were unprepared for winter conditions.

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“Anyone entering this terrain should be equipped and experienced for winter travel, including carrying proper hiking boots, crampons, and ice axes. Conditions on the Howe Sound Crest Trail remain hazardous and are not suitable for unprepared travel,” said an LBSAR post to social media.

But Search Manager Maria Masiar tells 1130 NewsRadio the hikers anticipated doing the trail in shorts and shoes with micro spikes, and “obviously hit significant difficulty” along the route.

She says a crew of 10 began looking for them around 4 p.m. Wednesday.

“The teams managed to reach the subject in extremely steep, rocky technical terrain at around 1 o’clock [Thursday] morning,” said Masiar.

Due to low cloud, the service was unable to reach the hikers by helicopter on its first try.

Masiar said, “We made another attempt to try to do a heli-evacuation from the house on Crest Ridgeline. That was unsuccessful due to the continuously deteriorating weather.”

Around 8 a.m., she said crews were still bringing the uninjured hikers out of the trail after a brief break for hot soup.

“They’ve been hiking down since that time. It has now started raining. So, in addition to being out there exposed all night, they are also wet,” said Masiar.

“I think these two gentlemen are very, very, very lucky to be alive today.”

She says the incident is a reminder that despite summer weather near the water, it’s absolutely not the case in the mountains.

“I don’t think they realized that it’s still winter conditions up there. This is not the time of year to be doing the Howe Sound Crest Trail,” she said.

Those wishing to do the trail end-to-end should look at doing so in July or August, when it is free of snow.

“And even then, it’s quite an undertaking. It’s a 30 km journey with over 2000 m of elevation gain, multiple spots where cell service and water are limited,” she said.

“It is a complex journey, even in ideal conditions, let alone when you’re in cloudy, rainy conditions with a full winter snowpack still ahead of you.”

LBSAR has reportedly responded to four calls this week, involving hikers unprepared for snow.

—With files from Ben Bouguerra