Skip to content

Princeton GSAR credited with saving life of lost snowmobiler

Princeton Ground Search and Rescue volunteers are being credited with saving a man’s life after he was stranded in the backcountry during a snowmobile trip.
15153404_web1_gsar2

Princeton Ground Search and Rescue volunteers are being credited with saving a man’s life after he was stranded in the backcountry during a snowmobile trip.

“I think probably if ground search and rescue had not found him when they did, for sure his life was in danger,” said RCMP Corporal Chad Parsons.

The stranded outdoorsman called police last Friday, January 11, at 5 p.m.

“He called us saying he was distressed. He had to leave his snowmobile. He had been walking and sweating and he was lost,” said Parsons.

The man was on the west side of Mount Henning, near Home Creek.

He was located and “near hypothermia” approximately six hours later.

“This whole thing could have been avoided if there had been more than one person on the snowmobile,” said Parsons. “It’s super dangerous going snowmobiling by yourself in the alpine areas. Your snowmobile could get stuck and you could be 20 km away from anyone else quite easily…It’s just fortunate for him that he was in cell service.”

Parsons said anyone snowmobiling should carry a distress beacon, that signals for help via satellite in an emergency.

The rescued snowmobiler, a 42-year-old man from the Lower Mainland “was not well prepared,” he added.

Proper clothing, equipment and supplies are important, he said.

“If you are stranded you should be able to spend at least one night where you are are - able to spend a least one night by building a shelter and staying dry and have food and make a fire.”

Before rescue volunteers could be dispatched to help the man, the avalanche risk in the area also had to be assessed.

“That’s another factor that may delay being rescued, if there is a high danger of avalanche.”

To report a typo, email:
publisher@similkameenspotlight.com
.



andrea.demeer@similkameenspotlight.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.



Andrea DeMeer

About the Author: Andrea DeMeer

Andrea is the publisher of the Similkameen Spotlight.
Read more