Another beautiful summer week spelled another busy few days for Squamish Search and Rescue.
From July 7 to July 12, rescuers received eight calls, bringing the total number of callouts this year to a total of 81.As of the morning of July 12, rescuers are just five calls shy of doubling their 2020 year-to-date number, which stands at 43.
They've already more than doubled the amount of year-to-date calls received in 2019, which amounts to 38. That year, there were 97 calls in total throughout the whole year, meaning 2021's SAR numbers are well on their way to surpassing 2019's activity.SAR officials are once again renewing the call for people to be prepared for the adventures in the Sea to Sky.
"I think this weekend has highlighted what we always talk about, and that's the importance of being prepared," said rescue manager B.J. Chute.The Squamish SAR and AdventureSmart website are great resources to help guide people on what preparations are needed for various recreational activities, he said.
It's necessary to have a detailed trip plan filed with an emergency contact and to be both technically and physically ready for their adventure, Chute said.People should also take extra food, water, and warm clothing, as well as a headlamp, in order to be prepared for any obstacles that might occur.
On July 7, crews were called to help a woman experiencing a severe allergic reaction in Garibaldi Park. Chute didn't immediately have details of where in the park the rescue occurred.He said passersby were able to administer an EpiPen — an epinephrine auto-injector — on the woman, but rescuers weren't confident she'd be able to make it out on her own.
A medical team spotted her and lowered two rescuers via a helicopter winch. She was airlifted out of the area and handed over to paramedics.That same day, there was a rescue for a climber with possible ankle fractures on the Apron of the Stawamus Chief.
The climber slid down and hit a ledge after a piece of gear popped out, hurting both of his ankles on the route, Long Time No See, Chute said.A helicopter longlined two rescuers down to the injured climber and stabilized his ankles. After that, crews airlifted him to safety.
On July 8, SAR responded to a mountain biker injured on the Pamplemousse trail. SAR crews and Squamish Fire Rescue carried the injured person out on a stretcher to paramedics waiting at Alice Lake.On July 9, Squamish Search and Rescue, along with rescue teams throughout the province, set out to look for Daniel Ring, a hiker who went missing.
As of July 12, crews were still searching for Ring.
"We're out all days the past two days using helicopters, e-bikes, dogs, ground search teams, ATVs to scour the entire trail network to Elfin and beyond," Chute said.On July 10, crews came to the aid of a hiker experiencing leg cramping on the evacuation trail leading up to the Sea to Sky Gondola.
The man, who was part of a hiking group, became dehydrated and suffered from cramps.Gondola staff located him and brought him food and water. Squamish SAR went up with electrolytes, food and water for three people in the group who were also having difficulty.
Those three were led up the trail to where the Sea to Summit Trail meets Wrinkle Rock, a location gondola staff could access with an ATV.They were loaded in the ATV and driven to the top of the gondola, where they were given a ride back down to the parking lot.
That same day, rescuers were alerted to an ankle injury in Garibaldi Provincial Park, but that call was passed off to Whistler SAR.On July 11, a party of three men became disoriented in the dark on the Watersprite Lake trail. However, they decided they could either spend the night or make their own way out with their headlamps, so rescuers stood down.
There was also a call that day for directions and orientation from BC Ambulance. Rescuers gave pointers to paramedics who were venturing into the Cat Lake area to help a woman who was vomiting. Paramedics were able to access the patient on their own, so SAR stood down.
