The Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue team recently conducted a training exercise in the Tantalus Mountain Range, that resulted in some scenic photography even by the impressive standards of the outdoor enthusiasts in the local group.
All of the photos can be found on the Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue Facebook Page.
Ridge Meadows SAR spokesperson Rick Laing said the Tantalus Range is a great place to train due to the easy helicopter access, and a range of different terrain types.
He said they honed skills like mountain travel, using ropes and a belay system, and how to use an ice axe to arrest a fall.
In addition to the technical skills, it’s also a team-building exercise for the members of the Ridge Meadows SAR team.
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• The Ridge Meadows SAR team rescued a man from the northwest side of Alouette Mountain in Golden Ears Park on Sunday, employing a helicopter to extricate him just before nightfall.
Laing said the man had been using a map app on his watch, and it showed a route that he mistook as a trail. Laing warned that some apps sometimes show routes that are only passable by experienced climbers with the right gear, and they can be mistaken as trails.
This hiker, a visitor from France, came to a place where he could no longer climb up or down without risking a fall.
His only equipment was a bottle of water, so he was not prepared to spend the night. However, he was able to get out a call with just six per cent of his battery charge remaining.
As with many emergency calls, Laing said, the outcome could easily have been worse.
Talon helicopters assisted in the man’s rescue.
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