The hikers used their iPhone emergency satellite SOS feature to call for help, and flashed a light to help rescuers find them from the air
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Two teens were rescued after getting lost in snowy conditions in Mt. Seymour provincial park Wednesday, according to North Shore Rescue.
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The pair had set out to summit Runner Peak, a 1,420-metre challenging hike near Mt. Seymour. On their descent, they had trouble navigating the steep, snow-covered slope.
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Without a map, the hikers headed north instead of south on the Elsay Lake trail, taking them deeper into the backcountry and away from the parking lot and trailhead, said the search and rescue group.
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Once the teens realized they were lost, they used their iPhone emergency satellite SOS feature to call for help.
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A helicopter rescue team from North Shore Rescue and Talon Helicopters responded to the call. When the copter was nearby, the hikers flashed a light, helping rescuers pinpoint their location from the air.
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The pair, who ended up in an area north of Canadian Pass, were hoisted out.
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“These two hikers were lightly equipped and had become wet and cold throughout their ordeal,” said North Shore Rescue in a social media post on Thursday.
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Runner Peak still has snow at this time of year and should be considered a mountaineering objective requiring equipment such as an ice axe and crampons — not simply a hiking destination, rescuers said. The pair did not have mountaineering gear and were unable to safely descend the snowy slope.
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In sharing lessons from the rescue, the volunteer-run organization urged hikers to download maps for offline use, noting cell service can be spotty or non-existent in many backcountry areas. The group also recommends carrying a paper map and compass, along with an external battery pack.
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It reminded anyone venturing into the backcountry to carry 10 essential items, including a flashlight or headlamp, signalling device, fire starter, warm clothes and navigation tools.
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