A solo hiker had to be flown out from the Bulley Glacier after experiencing “medical distress”, according to Tumbler Ridge Search and Rescue (SAR) Manager Craig Waters.
“This weekend’s task was a lone, experienced hiker in medical distress, deep in the backcountry,” says Waters. “We were able to communicate with her via InReach and arrange a helicopter extraction.”
Waters says she did well calling for rescue early and remaining stationary while waiting for rescue. “This allowed our SAR team to locate and access her quickly and without complication.”
He says seven team members carried out the rescue, which lasted approximately five hours.
This was the second rescue in the Northern Rockies near Tumbler Ridge in two days, as a day earlier, another experienced hiker, this one in his 70s, had to be rescued after getting lost along the Great Divide Trail.
That hiker became separated from his partner between McBride and Tumbler Ridge. The Great Divide Trail begins/ends at Kakwa Lake, southeast of Tumbler Ridge.
After searching for him for a day, his partner called SAR, who took the better part of two days to find him, after he had got off the trail and went down the wrong valley.
When Prince George SAR found him, he was making his way back to the route.
If any readers are inspired to volunteer, Tumbler Ridge Search and Rescue is recruiting and can be contacted via their Facebook page.
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
