By Canadian Press

Barefoot hiker rescued after spending two cold nights in B.C.’s North Shore mountains

Jun 28, 2024 | 3:08 PM

NORTH VANCOUVER — An ill-prepared hiker has been pulled out of British Columbia’s North Shore mountains after losing his shoes and all charge on his mobile phone.

Allan McMordie of North Shore Rescue says the man was barefoot, in shorts, soaking wet and cramped up after spending two nights in the wilderness.

McMordie says the hiker had a sleeping bag and plans to “spend some quiet time in the woods,” but he got soaked by pouring rain on Wednesday and lost his shoes while trying to cross a creek.

North Vancouver RCMP asked for help from the rescue team on Thursday after receiving a call from the hiker who said he was near Lynn Creek and was having trouble getting out.

The man’s phone battery was almost dead when he called 9-1-1, which McMordie says made it impossible to get the hiker’s location from his phone.

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Lynn Creek is kilometres long, so they used a drone with a thermal camera to pick up the man’s heat signature and then used a helicopter to hoist him out to a location where he was able to be taken to hospital.

For those who have plans to explore B.C. this Canada Day weekend, McMordie says hikers need to let people know where they’re going, have all their essentials and carry a spare phone battery.

“If an accident happens, you twist your ankle or something like that and we show up and you have got your extra jacket on … you’ve got a little extra food and water, that’s great,” says McMordie.

“That’s what we like to see and that’s no shame if something goes wrong, it’s good to be prepared.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June, 28, 2024.

The Canadian Press